After the royal wedding: What does it mean to be “royal”?

KW writes: The wedding is over. The vows are made. The world is reviewing the hoopla and eye-candy. I, personally, have many concerns with the purpose of royalty. I was waiting to dive in with analysis and critique while two real-live people were contemplating such an important step. But, now that Kate and Will have taken their leap of faith, maybe it is time to reflect on what monarchy (and empire) mean?

One of my friends has dived in on FaceBook. She noted (quite emphactically) that a lot of England’s wealth and tradition are related to colonizing and exploiting other parts of the world. And, having lots of wars. Seeing all the military uniforms as part of a religious ceremony was one of the things that didn’t sit well with me. Also, the fact that so many people are distracted by the hoopla, when they have their own lives, responsibilities, and countries to take care of.

Hope you might make your own comments — good and bad — in the comments. And, here is a poem I had written reflecting on Princess Diana’s wedding. It was written after she died…

The Bluish Light, 1997

Read Full Post »

Absolute plot spoiler for “The Duchess” and the life of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

Did the movie “The Duchess” (2008) have a happy ending?

More, importantly, did the life of Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire (nee Lady Georgiana Spencer, born 1757) have a happy ending?

Here are the answers to nearly every question about what happened to Georgiana:

Note: Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire is an ancestor of Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge. 

Did Georgiana ever “produce a male heir”? Yes. She had a child with her husband, the 5th Duke. Her son was William Hartington Spencer and he became the 6th Duke.  So, both Georgiana and the 5th Duke felt like they had an heir who would carry on. (Though, “Hart” never had children.)

Did the male heir save the Devonshire name and riches for Georgiana and The Duke’s family? No…but it was saved.

Read Full Post »

How-To create a Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire costume

Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Thomas Gainsborough, 1787

Want an easy way to dress as Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire?

There are many costumes you can buy that are “Marie Antoinette” of France. Since Marie Antoinette and “The Duchess”, Georgiana Spencer, were contemporaries and friends, an Antoinette costume should convey the same overall impression. And, after the movie “The Duchess” being a pretty good hit, people might even get who you mean to be. (Or, you can always go home-spun and find some dress in your closet that looks poofy and old-fashioned with a little scoop to the neckline.)

Some differences you might notice, or adjust your costume for:

-Marie Antoinette was from France, Georgiana was from England. (You could even hold an English Flag.)

-Marie Antoinette is usually portrayed with white, powdered hair, Georgiana is usually portrayed with goldish or reddish hair.

Read Full Post »

Movie/DVD review round-up: early January 2009

A collection of 3 reviews about “The Duchess” movie, the story of the life of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. I chose reviews which had something extra to offer in terms of comments and new details:

from POPDOSE
DVD Review: “The Duchess”
Sunday, January 4th, 2009 by Lance Berry

This is an excellent review with unique insights. I also wanted to post it here because it offered commentary and praise of the musical score, which I had overlooked in my own review.

Read Full Post »

Biography of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire is an ancestor of the new royal baby, The Prince of Cambridge.

More info about Georgiana: here
Web page for “The Duke and Duchess of Peace”: here.

Lady Georgiana Spencer is an important figure in political history. She was born in 1757 and died in 1806. She married, at the age of 17, and became Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire. She had an influential role in many key, political events, and in the shaping of the early Whig Party. Georgiana saw the French Revolution through the eyes of an English aristocrat, and as a friend of Marie Antoinette.

Amanda Foreman wrote “Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire”, Modern Library Press, 2001. And, in 2008, a movie was made based closely on that book, though, with the movie focusing on one aspect and time period from the full biography. Amanda Foreman was a consultant on the movie. Though the movie was critiqued for saying so in some advertising, Georgiana is, in fact, the great-great-great-great aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales. And, the lives and work of these two women have eerie similarities.

Read Full Post »