Today, September 9th, 2015, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II surpasses her Great-great Grandmother Queen Victoria as the Longest Reigning Monarch in British History! At the time of her death in 1901, Queen Victoria had reigned for 63 years, 7 Months, and 2 days! Today, Elizabeth II has made it to that. In 2007, she did become Britain's Oldest Living Monarch! She is the world's oldest reigning monarch and second-longest-serving current head of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). I shall not recount Her Majesty's life story, but instead give you some important and interesting historical facts about her reign:
The next great milestone that Her Majesty shall reach is her 90th Birthday celebration next spring. There are a bunch of celebrations that are along the lines of what took place for her Diamond Jubilee. Check out the plans at the link below! But, for now, I offer my congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen and as the National Anthem goes....
"Send her Victorious, Happy and Glorious, Long to Reign over Us...
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The most colorful and most important event in the Parliamentary year is today...The State Opening of Parliament. In a nut shell, it is when Her Majesty the Queen sits on the throne in the House of Lords and reads a speech written by the Prime Minister that details what her government intends to do in the coming Parliamentary session. It is also very important because it brings together the three parts of British Legislation, the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and Her Majesty the Queen. Since the Conservative Party won the recent General election, that means that David Cameron will once again be composing the Queen's Speech because the Conservative Party is Her Majesty's Government. But, it is much more than all of this. There is a lot of traditions that happen on this momentous day every year. Here is a brief-ish idea of what happens at the State Opening of Parliament. The pomp and pageantry all starts with the ceremonial search of the cellars of Parliament. A detachment of the Queen's Bodyguards, the Yeoman of the Guard (NOT "BEEFEATERS") take gas lanterns on a ceremonial "Search" of the cellars and basement of Parliament to look for explosives or something that might harm the Queen or Parliament. This tradition dates back to the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament and was arrested. The Yeoman of the Guard uphold this tradition as well as a formal search by the police. Next comes the famous "Hostage MP". Another tradition while not really relevant by today's standards, but traditional nonetheless. A Government Whip is taken to and held at Buckingham Palace. He is held there as a guarantee of the safe return of the Queen from the State Opening. Again,this tradition dates back centuries to when the Monarch and Parliament were not on very good terms. So the crown had to have a bartering chip against Parliament if the Monarch was detained and held against his/her will. After these precautions have been put in place, the Royal Procession takes place. A few days before the event, a few royal ceremonial pieces are taken from the Jewel House at the Tower of London and brought to Buckingham Palace. These items are the magnificent Imperial State Crown, the jeweled Sword of State, and the Cap of Maintenance.
These items are accompanied by a three bearers in a State Coach from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. Following the procession of the Crown Jewels, then comes the procession of the Queen. The Queen accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh leave the palace in another State Coach for Parliament. On rare occasions, more often in the past few years, the Prince of Wales attends the State Opening. In that case he departs the Palace before the Queen. As the Queen rides past Parliament, a band plays the National Anthem! Upon arrival at the Palace of Westminster, the Queen makes her way up the guard lined staircase on her way to the Robing room where she puts on her long robe with train and the Imperial State Crown. After about ten minutes or so she exits the room with the Duke of Edinburgh and aided by page boys and starts the long procession down to the House of Lords. Her Ladies in Waiting walk behind her, and in some cases the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall behind them. The Great Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance are bore by two Lords in front of her. After taking her seat on the throne she says, "My Lords pray be seated!" Then, she signals the Lord Chancellor, who then signals Black Rod to go and get the House of Commons. Black Rod is the Queen's messenger. He then makes his way from the House of Lords to the House of Commons. Upon arriving at the door of the Commons, as a sign of the Common's independence from the Monarch, the Door is ceremonially and traditionally slammed in the face of Black Rod. He then bangs on the door three times and is allowed to enter. He bows twice on his way up to the bar of the Commons. He then says, "Mr. Speaker sir! Her Majesty the Queen Command this Honorable House (bows head to each side of the house), to attend Her Majesty immediately in the House of Peers!" Then, for the past few decades a new tradition has somehow made it cleverly into the State Opening Ceremony and wouldn't seem right without it. The famous Labour MP for Bolsover, Dennis Skinner, makes a clever remark/snub to Black Rod. In the past he has said such things as: "Have you got Helen Mirren on standby?", "Royal Mail for sale! Queen's Head privatized", and last year with the election looming he called the Queen, "Coalition's last Stand". This next to the Queen's Speech is one of the most anticipated events of the day. Everyone wondering, "what Dennis Skinner will say this year?" This year, for the first time in years, Dennis Skinner did not say a word when Black Rod summoned the Commons! I wonder why!!! After Dennis Skinner makes his famous snub to Black Rod (not this year), the Speaker and Black Rod lead the Prime Minister, and members of the House of Commons down to the House of Lords to hear the Queen's Speech. The Lord Chancellor walks up to the Queen and hands her her speech. It typically lasts about 10 minutes and it lays out her Government's Legislative program for the new parliamentary year. After the Queen finishes her speech, she exit the Lords and returns to the Robing Room. She removes the crown and robe. Then, she departs Parliament in the State Coach and returns to Buckingham Palace. Then, the Commons return to their chamber and have a series of debates about the Queen's Speech. To watch this year's State Opening, Click on the picture below, and to learn more on the workings of Parliament and the details of the Queen's speech click on the link to the Parliament website below! The video below was published by the UK Parliament YouTube page and unlike previous years, it only consists of Black Rod Summoning the Commons and the Queen's Speech. It does not cover all of the events of the day! God Save the Queen!
DAVID CAMERON REMAINS IN DOWNING STREET!Well...after waiting up very late into the night, the Votes are in...DAVID CAMERON REMAINS IN DOWNING STREET!! The results from the Exit Poll had already suggested this, but it took the final counts to confirm it. For a party to have an Overall Majority in Parliament, a minimum of 326 seats were needed out of the 650 seats available. Early on in the night, it was predicted that the Conservatives had 325, one seat short of a majority. It was also clear that the Labour Party would never have a majority. At the end of the night, the Conservatives gained an overall majority of 331 seats in Parliament. The result is that the Conservative party have enough seats in Parliament to rule alone without needing to form a Coalition government with another party, and David Cameron's position as Prime Minister is safe. It was believed earlier on in the night, that unless the Conservatives gained a majority they would join forces with the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) to form another coalition. But, that turned out not to be the case. The night was very bad for Labour and the Liberal Democrats. In Scotland, Labour was wiped out almost completely by the SNP (Scottish National Party). The SNP gained all but three constituencies in Scotland in a landslide vote. The SNP will have 56 seats in Parliament. Labour, although still remains as a big force as the opposition in the commons, end the election with 232 seats. The Liberal Democrats were almost nill tonight as well, gaining only 8 seats in the Commons. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) only gained 8 seats as well. The lower parties such as Plaid Cymru (The Party for Wales) gained only 3 seats, and the Green Party only 1 seat. UKIP (UK Independence Party) was believed to have a large number of seats exits the election with only 1. Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg like David Cameron did manage to keep their home constituencies, but Nigel Farage, leader of UKIP (UK Independence Party) did not. So in true fashion, as a result of the Tories staying in power, Ed Miliband has resigned as the Labour Party Leader, Nick Clegg as Lib Dem leader, and Nigel Farage as UKIP leader. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP will proudly stay as the leader of the SNP. What does all of this mean now? Well, in a few weeks time, it means that David Cameron will be once again composing the speech for Her Majesty the Queen to read as she Officially Opens the New Parliament. It also means that Scotland will have a larger voice in the Westminster government. It also means, that the UK will in the not to distant future also be likely to see an "In-Out" Referendum on their place in the EU (European Union). Also, with so many SNP members in the commons, the big question is whether or not Nicola Sturgeon will be angling to put forth yet another bid in the future for another referendum on Scottish Independence from the United Kingdom. Only time will tell. For now, all we have to do is to sit back, await the Queen's speech at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday, May 27th, and anxiously wait to see who takes the place of the leaders of the Labour, Liberal Democrats, and UKIP parties. To hear David Cameron's Victory speech, click on the picture below. So for now, Congratulations to the Conservatives, and to remaining Prime Minister David Cameron on a magnificent and hard-fought win! His last words of the speech below are..."We Can Make Great Britain, Greater Still!"
Boxing Day is a holiday traditionally celebrated the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradespeople would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box", from their bosses or employers, in the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and other Commonwealth nations. Today, Boxing Day is the bank holiday that generally takes place on 26 December.
In Britain, it was a custom for tradespeople to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary entry for 19 December 1663. This custom is linked to an older English tradition: since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Boxing Day is a secular holiday that is traditionally celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas Day, which is also St. Stephen's Day, a religious holiday. When 26 December falls on a Sunday, Boxing Day in many Commonwealth countries and former British dominions is moved to 27 December. In the UK, Boxing Day is a bank holiday. If Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is given as a substitute bank holiday. On the occasion when Christmas Day is on a Saturday and the 26 December on the Sunday, the following Monday (27) is the substitute bank holiday for Boxing Day and Tuesday (28) the substitute bank holiday for Christmas Day. In Scotland, Boxing Day has been specified as an additional bank holiday since 1974, by Royal Proclamation under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. In Ireland – when the island as a whole was part of the United Kingdom – the Bank Holidays Act 1871 established the feast day of St. Stephen as a non-movable public holiday on 26 December. Since the creation of the Republic of Ireland following partition in 1920, Northern Ireland – being part of the United Kingdom – officially reverted to use of the British name 'Boxing Day'. In the UK, Canada, and some states of Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in the US. Boxing Day sales are common in Canada. It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price reductions. For many merchants, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest amount of returns. In the UK in 2009 it was estimated that up to 12 million shoppers appeared at the sales (a rise of almost 20% compared to 2008, although this was also affected by the fact that the VAT would revert to 17.5% from 1 January, following the temporary reduction to 15%). I dedicate this post to my friend Brandon, who is spending his second Christmas and Boxing Day in England! I hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas and a Happy Boxing Day! Cheers! My Scottish Referendum article appeared in today's edition of the Cumberland Times-News. Today I shall proudly wear my tartan kilt to my college classes. To read my article, you can click on the link below or download the print version below. Cheers!
The day we have long since feared has arrived! Tomorrow, Scotland's future will be determined! Tomorrow, September 18th, the people of Scotland will vote in a national referendum, to whether or not they shall break away from the rest of the United Kingdom and become an independent country. I am one of the thousands of people who are supporting the “NO” vote for independence, here are some of the reasons why Scotland should not become an independent country: First, if Scotland were to break away, this would mean that national stability in Britain could slip. Foreign enemies (such as ISIS or Al Qaeda) could see this as a weakness in the country and this could become a prime target for terrorism. If they stayed, they would remain part of one of the top members of defense alliances in the world, such as NATO and the UN. Second, Scotland means a lot to the economic stability of the United Kingdom. By this I mean all of the natural and man-made resources found in Scotland. Scotland's industry is built upon coal mining, ship building, and not to mention the Whisky Industry. The country is also big in the petroleum industry with the extraction of North Sea Oil. There is also a lot of buzz about what Scotland's Plan B will be if they cannot use the Pound as their currency. Alex Salmond, the First Minister has been questioned and questioned and will not explain. He keeps referring to page 110 of the publication "Scotland's Future", which is the guide to what will happen if there is a "Yes" vote. He says there are 4 plans. I have read page 110 and it lists them only, and does not describe them. He is pushing for a currency union with the UK to share the pound. Whether it would work or not is too large of a risk for Scotland to make. Third, we(England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland) have dedicated over 300 years to this glorious Union and it would be horribly demeaning and cruel to end it now. Yes, in the past 700 years there have been tensions, but through it all they have had Scotland's back in good and bad times. Others will disagree with this, but most people believe that Scotland was meant to be a part of this union, and that goes for Wales and Northern Ireland as well. The whole point is to show that the people of British Isles have a deep sense of communal relations and feelings that cannot be broken up no matter what a few people think. British Prime Minister David Cameron spoke at the recent NATO Summit in Wales. When asked about Scotland’s future, he had this to say “I take a very clear, loud message from the rest of the United Kingdom, which is “We want you to stay”. We care passionately about our family of nations. Of course Scotland can make a different choice, the Scottish people are sovereign in this matter. But, they shouldn't be in any doubt that the rest of the United Kingdom passionately wants them to remain a part of our successful family of nations.” He went on to speak about Scotland staying due to its importance to defense of the United Kingdom. He spoke about it being a “dangerous and insecure world”. This is what he said, “I would have thought, one of the strongest arguments that those of us who want to see the United Kingdom stay together can make, is in that dangerous and insecure world, with terrorist threats and other threats, isn’t it better to be a part of a United Kingdom that has a top five defense budget, that has some of the best security and intelligence services anywhere in the world, that is part of every single alliance that really matters in the world in terms of NATO, the G8, the G20, the European Union, a permanent member of the Security Council of the UN? To have all of those networks and abilities to work with allies to keep us safe. Isn’t it better to have those things, than to separate yourselves from them?" There are many other reasons, but I shall let you look into them yourselves. Below is the official site for the referendum. It provides all of the information about it, and what will happen with a "YES" or God permitting a "NO" vote! It also provides all of the details why the Scots are pleading for this vote.
Below that are two of the "No" campaign sites. These are really the two official ones. They provide excellent reasons why Scotland should remain part of the United Kingdom and the plans they intend to put into effect should the Scots lovingly vote "NO". Below that is a link to read the Official Publication called "Scotland's Future: Your Guide to an Independent Scotland". It is a guide that maps out Scotland's plans and terms for what will happen if God forbid a "Yes" vote is successful. From the bottom of my heart I pray that this vote is not successful and the life of the United Kingdom shall not come to a forceful end. In honor and awareness of this historic event, I shall be wearing my Blackwatch Kilt and sporran with pride tomorrow as I attend school and walk through Cumberland. I hope that all of my fellow Americans with Scottish descent shall join me in awareness for this day. I shall be back tomorrow or Friday with the results. As always Rule Britannia and we are "BETTER TOGETHER"!!!! On the afternoon of September 3, 1939,75 years ago today, after Adolf Hitler's Nazi troop annexed Poland, a radio announcer in Britain had this to say... "This morning, the British Ambassador in Berlin, handed the German government a final note. Stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I am here to say that no such undertaking has occurred, and consequently this country (Britain) is at war with Germany." When this happened, the office of the Prime Minister quickly put to gether one of the greatest speeches of World War II. It was quickly rushed to Buckingham Palace for a six o'clock radio broadcast to the nation and the world by His Majesty King George VI. As it happens, George VI was known for having a stuttering problem. But, with the help of his speech therapist Lionel Logue and the loving support of his wife Elizabeth and his two daughters, he gave on of the best speeches in history. Here is a transcript of his speech: In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself. For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war. Over and over again we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies. But it has been in vain. We have been forced into a conflict. For we are called, with our allies, to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world. It is the principle which permits a state, in the selfish pursuit of power, to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges; which sanctions the use of force, or threat of force, against the sovereignty and independence of other states. Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right; and if this principle were established throughout the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations would be in danger. But far more than this - the peoples of the world would be kept in the bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of the security of justice and liberty among nations would be ended. This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world's order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge. It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own. I ask them to stand calm, firm, and united in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield. But we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then, with God's help, we shall prevail. May He bless and keep us all. By delivering this speech, it announced officially that Britain had declared war on Nazi Germany. From that day on, the King became the face for British National stability during the dark days of the war. Although the Princesses were sent off to stay at Windsor for the duration of the war, he and his wife stayed in London to be close to their people. In 2010, a movie adaptation entitled "The King's Speech" was released starring Colin Firth as King George VI, Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth,and Geoffrey Rush as Lionel Logue. It is a wonderful movie and for anyone who wants to learn more about King George VI or wants some insight about his speech impediment, I suggest you see this movie. It is based off a book called "The King's Speech: How One man saved the British Monarchy". It was written by Mark Logue who is the grandson of the real King's speech therapist Lionel Logue. Lionel kept journals and correspondence between him and the king all the years they worked together. I have also read that and it really sheds light onto the previously well hidden secret of the King's speech impediment. To listen to the real King's speech, click on the link below. Cheers!
As the 20th Commomnwealth Games come to an end in Glasgow, the festivities are just as wonderful as they began. For the medal standings click on the Button below. If you wish to watch the closing ceremony click on the youtube link below. Also, for more info on the games, click on the Official website below. I hope you all enjoyed the Commonwealth Games! Cheers!
Although it was almost a week ago, the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow was a sight to see. It showcased Scottish culture and achievements as well as performances by Rod Stewart and many Scottish groups and volunteers. The Queen's Baton relay ended there that night. Last fall from Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty the Queen handed her baton to the first of thousands of bearers before it set off on its historic journey. It traveled over 100,000 miles around the world through all the nations of the commonwealth before ending up in Glasgow, Scotland that night.It was also a landmark night, UNICEF teamed with the Commonwealth Games Federation to help gain supportive donations for children all across the Commonwealth and the world. The motto of the night was "put children first". It all led up to the Parade of Commonwealth Nations and Her Majesty's Baton arriving in the stadium. Her Majesty the Queen was the finale of the night, she read her message which was held within the baton and declared the Glasgow 2014 Games open. Click on the link below to watch the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games!
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