tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-105814662024-03-07T22:14:15.256-05:00Murder and MayhemThe quirky thoughts and madcap adventures of a pop culture diva. Mystery reader and writer by day, ballroom dancer by night. Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.comBlogger1200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-5459036199009084632012-07-16T21:02:00.002-04:002012-07-16T21:02:41.420-04:00The Real Housewives of Windsor: Sophie, Countess of Wessex<span lang="EN"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It’s hard to believe that it has been 13 years since Sophie Rhys-Jones walked down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor and walked out as HRH, The Countess of Wessex. From the beginning, Sophie seemed determined to do things differently than previous Windsor Wives and for a while it looked like she might succeed. She was going to be a working wife, continuing to pursue her career in PR, while fulfilling royal duties as needed. She even talked of putting of having royal offspring while she and Edward enjoyed married life. Over the past 13 years, Sophie has weathered a host of storms including infertility, racy photos, questions about her business and a tabloid scandal that rocked the monarchy but Sophie came through relatively unscathed and has even taken the former Kate Middleton under her wing to teach her the ropes. <br />
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When her relationship with Prince Edward was first revealed to the public, Sophie was often compared to Princess Diana. Both were tall, leggy blondes with short hair and English rose complexions, close in age (Diana was born in 1961, Sophie in 1965), but the resemblance was only on the surface. While Diana came from an aristocratic background, Sophie came from a decidedly middle-class one. Her father, Christopher, was a successful retired tire salesman, and her mother Mary was a secretary. Sophie’s mother even took in typing at home to help send her and her brother David to Dulwich Preparatory School and then to West Kent College. <br />
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While Diana used to joke that she was “thick as a plank,” Sophie obtained 8 O-levels and 2 A-levels in English and Law. Diana’s parents famously split up when Diana was little; Sophie’s parents were happily married until her mother’s death in 2005. Before her marriage, Sophie trained as a secretary and had a successful career in public relations, while Diana flitted from one low-paying job after another. Diana was a very immature 20 years old when she married Prince Charles after a short courtship. Sophie was a mature woman of 34 who had dated her prince for over five years before she walked down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Diana and Fergie’s family had royal connections stretching back centuries, Sophie’s only connection was that she was descended from the 1st Viscount Molesworth, a 17th century diplomat with links to the Stuart Kings of England and the Queen Mother, making Sophie and Edward cousins of sorts. While Diana had to contend with the continued presence of Camilla Parker-Bowles in her husband’s life, Sophie had to contend with rumors that Prince Edward was gay.<br />
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Sophie even met her Prince like other modern couples, through her job. The couple met at a strategy meeting to discuss The Real Tennis Challenge, an event to raise funds for the Duke of Edinburgh’s scheme in 1993. Sophie later ended up standing in for Sue Barker for the photo-call with Edward, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. She expressed interest in the game of ‘real tennis’ (the version that Henry VIII would have played) which was Edward’s sporting passion. Intrigued, Edward asked her out. Somehow they managed to keep the relationship secret for three months before the tabloids found out.<br />
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To the royal family, Sophie must have seemed like a breath of fresh air. They were under pressure when she came on the scene. The monarchy was facing criticism from over everything from the Civil List, whether the Queen should pay taxes, as well as the disastrous marriages of the royal children. Sophie was neither a compassionate fashion icon like Diana nor a loose cannon like Sarah Ferguson. “You wouldn’t notice her in a crowd,” the Queen was overheard telling the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. Sophie was seen to be unthreatening, a mixture of solid middle-class conventionality mixed with media modernity. Colleagues from work described her as always game for a laugh and down to earth. The editor of OK! Magazine, one of her clients, said “She’s not a girl of extremes and that’s essential to her character. She’s a person who can cope.” Together Sophie and Edward seemed as sexy and exciting as bread pudding. Sophie got along with most of the Royal Family especially Prince Philip but also Princess Anne who had never befriended either of her two previous sisters-in-law. Princess Diana allegedly called Sophie, “little Miss Goody Two Shoes,” behind her back.<br />
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The couple announced their engagement their engagement in January of 1999. At the press conference, the couple held hands affectionately as they showed off Sophie’s ring. Unlike his older brother Prince Charles, who famously declared, ‘whatever in love means,’ Edward said, “We are the best of friends and we happen to love each other very much.’ When asked if she found the prospect of joining the Royal Family daunting, Sophie answered honestly, ‘It is slightly nerve-racking in many ways. But I am ready for it now and I am fully aware of the responsibilities.’ Sophie had time to get a good look at royal life over the past several years. She’d been invited to join the Queen for family holidays at Windsor, Balmoral and Sandringham. A blind eye was turned when Sophie spent the night with Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace. She was even given her own pass to come and go as she pleased. She became well acquainted with the “men in grey” who had made Diana and Fergie’s lives as Royals so difficult. Both Diana and Sarah were jealous that Sophie was getting special treatment they had been thrown to the wolves. Prince Edward had even taken the step of sending an open letter to the press asking that they back off of Sophie. Sophie seemed almost too good to be true.<br />
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Three weeks before wedding, the first scandal hit the headlines. London's biggest tabloid, <b><i>The Sun</i></b><i></i>, printed a topless picture of Sophie. What should have been a tempest in a teapot became a national uproar in the wake of Princess Diana's death, which was widely blamed on Fleet Street's disregard for royal privacy. The outcry was so enormous the tabloid Sun actually issued a groveling apology. The 11-year-old snapshot showed Sophie gallivanting with radio disc jockey Chris Tarrant during a 1988 business trip to Spain. At the time, Sophie was working for Capital Radio as a PR executive. The picture showed Tarrant pulling up a laughing Sophie’s bikini top, exposing one breast. The photographer, Kara Noble, was paid £40,000 for the photo but in the backlash after their publication, she was sacked from her job as a disc jockey. While the scandal was tame compared to the pictures of a topless Fergie having her toes sucked in the South of France, the publication signaled the end of the honeymoon between Sophie and the Press.<br />
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The nuptials of Sophie and Edward on June 19, 1999 were a much more low-key affair than his siblings’ weddings, which took place at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral. Since all three of those weddings ended in divorce, perhaps Prince Edward was hedging his bets by getting married at Windsor. Whatever the reason, Edward and Sophie had made it clear that their wedding was not to be a state occasion. On his wedding day, he was created The Earl of Wessex. Sophie’s new title would be HRH The Countess of Wessex. Eventually the plan was that after the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s death, Edward would inherit his father’s title. The wedding was attended by 560 guests and an estimated 200 million viewers around the world. Some commentators called it the “people’s wedding,” and 8,000 people were picked at random and invited into the castle grounds. <br />
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Unlike the over-the-top 80’s confections worn by Diana and Sarah, Sophie wore a simple dress made of hand-dyed silk organza and silk crepe, with long sleeves and the detail consists of rows of pearls and crystal beading around the neck, sleeves and train, with further beading down the back and front of the dress-coat. 325,000 cut-glass and pearl beads were sewn on the dress, which was corseted, with a V-neck. To accompany the dress, the bride also wore a black-and-white pearl necklace, interspersed with white gold rondels, and a matching pair of black-and-white pearl drop earrings, designed by Prince Edward and made by Asprey and Garrard as a wedding gift from Edward. Sophie wore a diamond tiara, from the Queen's private collection, consisting of three open-work scroll motifs, designed and re-modeled by the Crown Jeweler, David Thomas, at Asprey and Garrard. <br />
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Soon after their wedding, it was announced that the royal couple would be balancing their professional lives with their royal duties. The Queen was said to be behind the couple’s decision. The couple took a 150 year lease on the 57 room Bagshot Park in Surrey, paying £5 million pounds for a property that on the open market would be worth at least 6 times as much. It is one of the largest Royal homes; even Prince Charles’s beloved Highgrove is not as big. Prince Edward went back to work at the moderately successful production company that he’d started in 1993, Ardent Productions while Sophie continued on with her PR firm RJH. But from the beginning there were questions about whether royalty and commerce should mix. Even before the wedding, Sophie was accused of using her relationship with Edward to drum up business. The longer her romance with Edward continued, the more her career seemed to flourish. <br />
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Her critics said a big “I told you so,” when in 2001, an undercover reporter for the tabloid <b>News of the World</b>, Mazher Mahmood, posing as an Arab sheikh, recorded Sophie making disparaging remarks about Cherie Blair as "absolutely horrid, horrid, horrid" and criticized the prime minister's leadership style as "too presidential". It was also claimed that she boasted that she was the Royal family’s savior and calling the Queen ‘the old dear.’ It also appeared that Sophie was using her royal connections to drum up business. The story was picked up by the Daily Mail and other media outlets, humiliating the Countess. Although Buckingham Palace issued a statement suggesting that the reported comments were ‘selective, distorted and in several cases, flatly untrue,’ the damage was done. Sophie herself issued a statement that read, that she regretted the embarrassment she had caused after being taken in by the reporter's scheme. “I am deeply distressed by the carrying-out of an entrapment operation on me and my business but I also very much regret my own misjudgment in succumbing to that subterfuge.” For a supposedly smart and savvy business woman, it never seems to have occurred to Sophie to check out her new potential client. Landing such a lucrative account seemed to outweigh her common sense. Unlike Fergie who could at least claim alcohol as an excuse, Sophie drank nothing but mineral water during the meeting.<br />
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The news brought back memories of ‘Squidgygate’ and ‘Tampongate’ when the Wales’s phone calls were taped and then published in the tabloids. Sophie compounded her error by sending personal letters of apology to Blair, Hague and Prince Charles. The tabloid turned over the tapes to Buckingham Palace in exchange for a 5 page interview with Sophie, in which she discussed IVF & Edward’s sexuality. Instead of being a breath of fresh air, Sophie was in danger of been seen as no better than her predecessors. Her partner resigned but Sophie was hoping to ride it out but clients began to leave, outraged by publicity. Later that fall, Prince Edward got into trouble for filming at St. Andrew’s University as his nephew Prince William matriculated for a documentary. In 2002, both the Prince Edward and his wife announced that they would quit their business interests to focus on royal duties full time and to aid the Queen during her Golden Jubilee. To take some of the sting out having to give up their careers, the Queen increased the annual allowance to £250,000, essentially paying them not to work. <br />
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Sophie, by all accounts, was devastated at having to give-up the business that she had worked so hard at developing for a life of ribbon-cutting and garden parties at Buckingham Palace. She had founded RJH in 1996 with her business partner Murray Harkin, and had been a dedicated career woman before her marriage. The company had a prestigious client list that included the Lanesborough Hotel in London, Boodles & Dunthorne, Thomas Goode China, DFS Furniture chain, Rover Cars, and the Banyan Tree Hotel in Phuket, Thailand. According to an article in London’s <b><i>The Daily Mail</i></b><i></i>, the company was in talks to sell the business for £3.5 million (8 years later the company folded owing £1.7 million). However devastated she might have been, she also seemed resigned that if she wanted her marriage to work, she would have to make a success of her life as a royal instead. There were some who took great delight in her downfall, who felt that Sophie had developed a case of ‘red carpet fever’ when she married the Queen’s youngest son, that she got caught up with being a member of the Royal Family. She’d once remarked that she was the ‘second lady of the land’ and apparently had the attitude that went along with it. <br />
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If that wasn’t bad enough, Sophie also had problems conceiving. In December of 2001, Sophie was brought to King Edward VII Hospital after complaining that she didn’t feel well. It was soon discovered that she was suffering from an ectopic pregnancy. She lost both the baby and an ovary. Two years later, she went into premature labor, resulting from a placental eruption, giving birth to a daughter Lady Louse on November 8, 2003. Sophie had to have a caesarian, and it was touch and go for a while for both mother and daughter. She lost a considerable amount of blood, and was said to be 20 minutes away from death. And then their daughter, Louise, was born with extropia, an eye condition that left her with one eye turning outwards. Longing for a second child, the couple went through a number of unsuccessful IVF treatments, before conceiving their son James, Viscount Severn (born December 17, 2007), naturally after almost four years of trying. It was an emotionally devastating time for Sophie, who had to watch several women on staff at the Palace give birth, while she struggled to conceive. Neither children will either have or use the style HRH at their parents’ request. Both Sophie and Edward wish for them to have as normal an upbringing as possible. <br />
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Through it all, the Queen has been a huge supporter of Sophie. They share a strong bond and an interest in military history, and horses. Sophie is reportedly the first of The Queen’s daughters-in-law with home she has enjoyed a permanently warm relationship. While The Queen’s relationship with Camilla has thawed, they will never truly be close, and so far Prince Andrew has declined to remarry after his divorce from Fergie. The Queen even went so far as to pay a secret visit to Sophie when she was in the hospital after the traumatic birth of Lady Louise which was unprecedented. They became even closer after Sophie lost her mother to cancer in 2005. The Queen and Sophie take regular horseback rides around Windsor Great Park, and the Queen has even been known to pop around for tea at Bagshot Park unannounced. In 2010, Sophie was made a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Honorees are chosen by the Queen personally for this honor rather than recommended by the Prime Minister.<br />
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Now 47, Sophie has proved to be a valuable member of the Royal Family. Unlike the Duchess of York who keeps making the same mistakes over and over again, but expecting a different result, Sophie learned from her earlier mistakes, and has not put a foot wrong since. She has even stepped it up fashion-wise in recent years, showing off a trimmer figure, and more stylish wardrobe of tall hats, and platform shoes. Articles in such diverse publications as Hello Magazine, The Telegraph and Majesty Magazine have all remarked on her transformation over the years. Another sign of how well thought of Sophie now is, she volunteered to take Kate Middleton under her wing, to show her the royal ropes after her engagement. She’s also become good friends with Princess Charlene of Monaco. Over the years, Sophie has been able to use her PR skills to good use to help the charities she’s patron of, including Born in Bradford research project, which investigates the causes of low birth weight and infant mortality. <br />
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Edward and Sophie are now the Queen’s go to Royals to represent her on overseas trips and at royal weddings. In 2011, they attended the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco to Charlene Wittstock. To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, they traveled to the Caribbean as well as a controversial trip to Gibraltar. As the Queen and Prince Philip cut back on their engagements, Sophie and Edward will no doubt continue to have a high profile until Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge become full-time royals.</span>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-7347045842935166102012-02-24T16:47:00.001-05:002012-02-24T16:49:32.095-05:00Gotham Gal Review: Paris My Sweet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1N1ZQD8Ix4hLI73dl3RGEtX6cuQZ347NmAIBND4XG6OcFAPuSX4SSZGzRMRxx3rrIHnRwujm0Axy86qdHOOCsLWYY2zmzPUiiSQh7fR-oDbMssDU-73aJSQPff-wxktJ4Tx1/s1600/149319478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" lda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1N1ZQD8Ix4hLI73dl3RGEtX6cuQZ347NmAIBND4XG6OcFAPuSX4SSZGzRMRxx3rrIHnRwujm0Axy86qdHOOCsLWYY2zmzPUiiSQh7fR-oDbMssDU-73aJSQPff-wxktJ4Tx1/s320/149319478.jpg" width="212px" /></a></div>Title: PARIS MY SWEET<br />
Author: Amy Thomas<br />
Publisher: Sourcebooks<br />
Publication date: 2/1/2012<br />
Pages: 304<br />
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<em><strong>Synopsis:</strong></em> Forever a girl obsessed with all things French, sweet freak Amy Thomas landed a gig as rich as the purest dark chocolate: leave Manhattan for Paris to write ad copy for Louis Vuitton. Working on the Champs-Élysées, strolling the charming streets, and exploring the best patisseries and boulangeries, Amy marveled at the magnificence of the City of Light.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">But does falling in love with one city mean turning your back on another? As much as Amy adored Paris, there was part of her that felt like a humble chocolate chip cookie in a sea of pristine macarons. PARIS, MY SWEET explores how the search for happiness can be as fleeting as a salted caramel souffle's rise, as intensely satisfying as molten chocolate cake, and about how the life you're meant to live doesn't always taste like the one you envisioned.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Part love letter to Paris, part love letter to New York, and total devotion to all things sweet, PARIS, MY SWEET is a treasure map for anyone with a hunger for life.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Amy Thomas is a New York—based writer who, for two lucky years, got to call Paris home. In addition to working as a copywriter in advertising, she writes about food, travel, design, and fashion for various publications such as the New York Times, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. She is slightly obsessed with sweets.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Gotham Gal says: It was kind of cruel of Sourcebooks to send me a copy of Amy Thomas's memoir PARIS MY SWEET just after I'd given up sweets for Lent. Reading page after page of all the delectable treats she ate in Paris made me just want to lick the page! Like Amy, I especially adore dark chocolate. The old adage "be careful what you wish for, you just might get it," sprang to mind as I flipped through the pages. Amy adores Paris and jumps at the chance to live there only to find out that <em>living </em>in Paris is far different from <em>visiting</em> Paris.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">PARIS MY SWEET brought back memories of the time that I lived in London just after college. Like Amy, my dream had alwyas been to live abroad, but in my case it was London. I was lucky enough to be able to buy a six month student work permit which enabled me to work anywhere in the UK. London wasn' t unfamiliar to me, I had spent 5 weeks the summer before my senior year of high school and a semester my junior year, but living and working there was far different from being a student. Finding a flat was a struggle, particularly since I didn't want to elnd up living with Americans (I eventually did) nor was finding a job a breeze, even though I had office skills. The four months I spent during one incredibly hot summer were some of the most difficult, frustrating and yet exhilirating experiences of my life. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Unlike me, Amy got to work on the Louis Vuitton account for Ogilvy and Mather, although incredibly LVMH didn't give the ad agency a discount for employees to shop their. How rude! It would be too easy to hate Thomas for landing such a cushy job in the City of Light but she's such an engaging narrator, not afraid to share with the reader her hopes and frustrations, that it felt like listening to a close friend over a glass of Lillet in small cafe near St. Germain. I sympathized with Amy as she spent 3 weeks having to living in a disgusting hotel near Montmartre (really Ogilvy, you couldn't have sprung for a corporate apartment?), jumped for joy when she found her dream flat, and sighed over her lack of dating prospects in Paris. I totally understood how torn she was between her new life in Paris and her old life in New York. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Her use of sweets, how both cities differ in their approach to dessert was refreshing. I especially enjoyed the section on cupcakes, from her earliest childhood memories, to how the French were interpreting an American classic. The book is very much a lighthearted romp, leavened with doses of bittersweet medicine. There were times though when I wanted Thomas to dig deeper, to share more of her experiences in Paris. For example, the differences between healthcare in the US and France, anyone who has seen the Michael Moore film, remembers the scene of the ex-pat Americans raving about French healthcare and how they never want to leave Paris. I also wanted to know more about what happened to her cat Milo, who developed bad patches. It would have been nice if Thomas had shown us the scene where she lost it at work, rather than telling us about it later. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">Final Verdict: A look at the sweet side of life in New York and Paris. Don't read this book if you are on a diet!</div>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-50504212276135984472011-08-31T09:12:00.001-04:002011-08-31T10:10:59.342-04:00Hump Day Hottie: Ashley Cowie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrTE02NncUW0J5MQBKNhFP9ppwvOn4UB_Z806C6ZQAg0R2IND-wx10Issz0lcTMrw1Ich9PkkYDiTyPKNcNXSdvVbXqsJQaeITqNT_2kkSc5DjiKiTdpiWgsAFHR_cbitupHk/s1600/Quest0102-cropped-proto-tmr-home___featured_image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrTE02NncUW0J5MQBKNhFP9ppwvOn4UB_Z806C6ZQAg0R2IND-wx10Issz0lcTMrw1Ich9PkkYDiTyPKNcNXSdvVbXqsJQaeITqNT_2kkSc5DjiKiTdpiWgsAFHR_cbitupHk/s320/Quest0102-cropped-proto-tmr-home___featured_image.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
Wow, it's been a long time since I've had a hump day hottie, but I just had to share my new discovery, <a href="http://www.ashleycowie.com/">Ashley Cowie</a>. I was scrolling through the TV guide on my DVR when the show <em>Legend Quest</em> popped otu at me. I've written about my love for the National Treasure movies, and this seemed like a unique combination of those movies and Dan Brown's novels. The first episode that I watched was about the Holy Grail. Sweet, I was eager to hear what he had to say compared to Dan Brown.<br />
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Well imagine my surprise when Ashley Cowie turned out to not only be a hottie but a Scottish hottie! Be still my heart. He's also a member of the Scottish Knights Templar. I'm not sure what that means but it sounds awesome. The TV show didn't disappoint, although I had the feeling that Dan Brown must be sitting in his house, counting his money, thinking 'Wow, that's even crazier than what I came up with!" Cowie's Quest tooks him from Rosslyn Chapel to Providencetown Massachussets, to Washington, DC and finally to the Statue of Liberty where he concluded that it was possible that the Freemasons (because Lord knows they have their hands in everything) melted down the Holy Grail and used the metal to forge the original torch of the Statue of Liberty. Are you with me?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQjE9A4mJb1GRitqZ1fHBRmhmohe4dLEvsAVG9Ld7sP5qHIqHk_NnMG-RbslV2hpFH1NCDV4X85B4zlb6VPZyEHiDfwD4Kfun7ImY45VbXxoy-dtFq3bU9LaMoMrZUOqlsxn0/s1600/275299_1353589784_3687698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQjE9A4mJb1GRitqZ1fHBRmhmohe4dLEvsAVG9Ld7sP5qHIqHk_NnMG-RbslV2hpFH1NCDV4X85B4zlb6VPZyEHiDfwD4Kfun7ImY45VbXxoy-dtFq3bU9LaMoMrZUOqlsxn0/s1600/275299_1353589784_3687698_n.jpg" xaa="true" /></a></div>That's almost insane enough to be believable. The other episodes that I watched thanks to Syfy on demand includes the search for Merlin's grave, Moses' Staff, and the Stone of Destiny which they may actually have found. There were only six episodes in this first series, but hopefully Syfy will order more. There hasn't been a show this cool since Josh Bernstein's show <strong>Digging for the Truth</strong> on the History Channel or Brad Meltzer's crazy show.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqvVlvWpZhvD2RcjPyMKwTFz-I_eHZ900yzhz6Xkrpn738f9qfgwRN4CyOulfNRuWJRTd___fYif63qIq7KI6RdTcf6orpiAf_lShW9Rqnp-QKtnrnQbsKaA9wpymdA-QdN68/s1600/569278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqvVlvWpZhvD2RcjPyMKwTFz-I_eHZ900yzhz6Xkrpn738f9qfgwRN4CyOulfNRuWJRTd___fYif63qIq7KI6RdTcf6orpiAf_lShW9Rqnp-QKtnrnQbsKaA9wpymdA-QdN68/s320/569278.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div>But back to Mr. Cowie. He's a photographer and a self-taught historian (sort of like me). Unfortunately he's married, which is just how my luck runs. Just when I find a man who ticks all my boxes (Scottish, interested in history, slightly bat sh*t crazy), he's not available. *Sigh* However, he's now replaced Josh Bernstein as my bit of thinking woman's crumpet. Sorry Josh! Anyway, you're looking for a six-foot tall Jewish blonde who likes the outdoors (by the way, if you haven't found her, how is that working for you? UPDATE: Josh Bernstein is getting married on Sunday to Lily Snyder who is tall, blonde and Jewish, as well as well-connected).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItetEF9-GKRN6lZaIQkCr6zIDEg_kSMUkQ2Ib1MRjcpYwaU_R32r2oIgR0TxR9fBtvTQVuyShAmb4LEDw9pmZzleTe4Dqms8cHOji-RlMFjkTWyb6_84qix6PxRBhJw1PCFxj/s1600/1307630059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhItetEF9-GKRN6lZaIQkCr6zIDEg_kSMUkQ2Ib1MRjcpYwaU_R32r2oIgR0TxR9fBtvTQVuyShAmb4LEDw9pmZzleTe4Dqms8cHOji-RlMFjkTWyb6_84qix6PxRBhJw1PCFxj/s320/1307630059.jpg" width="248" xaa="true" /></a></div>No, I'll settle for using Mr. Cowie as the prototype for a contemporary series that I'm thinking of working on, that would involve a loveable rogue like him. Think of the Michael Douglas character in Romancing the Stone but hotter and Scottish!<br />
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You can read more about Mr. Cowie in this interview with <a href="http://www.themortonreport.com/entertainment/television/globe-trekking-with-legend-quest-s-ashley-cowie/">The Morton Report</a>.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-1662910838786688982011-08-29T12:03:00.000-04:002011-08-29T12:03:38.725-04:00William and Catherine - A Royal Romance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_Om-g7_jRJUxsqmmC6sshQgrY04nnWAYb6OxeU-Ue1qbtbQNoVNKn43ArkPSqF-Zug-tD7geDDzkhICK8vuLKmx_U_2Ch8Dcmt7pTbRc4RU0hN8rAlF6TzeQ8Fu9Ck-C13nP/s1600/about.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_Om-g7_jRJUxsqmmC6sshQgrY04nnWAYb6OxeU-Ue1qbtbQNoVNKn43ArkPSqF-Zug-tD7geDDzkhICK8vuLKmx_U_2Ch8Dcmt7pTbRc4RU0hN8rAlF6TzeQ8Fu9Ck-C13nP/s320/about.jpg" width="146" /></a></div><strong><em>About the Movie</em></strong><br />
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William & Catherine: A Royal Romance chronicles the love story of Prince William (Dan Amboyer) and Kate Middleton (Alice St. Clair) that resulted in one of the most celebrated weddings in history. At a pivotal point in their courtship, William takes to heart the advice of his mother, the late Princess Diana (Lesley Harcourt), which she bestowed in an interview before her untimely death. The message she left for her son: hold on to the love of your life and protect it with all of your heart.<br />
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Stars Jane Alexander (Queen Elizabeth II), Victor Garber (Prince Charles), Jean Smart (Camilla Parker Bowles), Alice St. Clair (Kate Middleton), Dan Amboyer (Prince William).<br />
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Gotham Gal says - Well, you just knew that I was going to watch this didn't you? Especially with Hurricane Irene battering the East Coast, I really, truly had nothing better to watch this weekend apart from Dr. Who and several episodes of Millionaire Matchmaker (Patti really is a bitch isn't she?). This TV movie in many ways was even more laughable than the Lifetime TV movie that came out in April. I'm not even sure where to start with this one. The scene at Prince William's 21st birthday party, when Kate comes bouncing up to the Queen and introduces herself without even curtesying. The portrayal of the Middleton's as gauche, nouveau-riche idiots? Kate and the Queen playing WiFi tennis? Prince William breaking up with Kate over the telephone?The Queen trying to pronounce Kanye West? Or how about Prince Philip completely getting the Queen's genealogy wrong by calling Edward VII her great uncle? (He was her great grandfather).<br />
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The movie opens up with Prince William watching a videotape of his mother in the infamous interview with Martin Bashir (he watches this interview intermittently during the movie to show how close he was to his mother and how her death affected him). I had no problem with that. I did have a problem with them showing Prince William showing up at St. Andrew's University sans Prince Charles (which the previous movie at least managed to get right). Kate and William meet cute in the hallway when he bumps into her and she drops her laundry. Hysterical moment when he points out her knickers are still on the ground. This Kate Middleton is a barmaid at the local pub, where William drowns his sorrows trying to be normal bloke. There is the obligatory scene where Kate convinces him to stay at college which comes out of nowhere, and scenes of him dating some generic blonde named Cynthia. Of course we have the infamous fashion show, where for some reason Prince Harry shows up, looking older than William.<br />
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In this version Kate and William's relationship doesn't start until after his 21st birthday, he's too preoccupied with someone named Jenna (presumably Jecca Craig). Back at college, during their third year, he sets up a romantic dinner for two, which he burns. Kate comes to the rescue and she jumps him while they are watching a movie. The one thing I will give this movie credit for, is that at least you have some sense as to why William and Kate are attracted to each other, and why they fell in love, a huge failure of the Lifetime Movie. Where this movie fails is in their protrayal of the Middleton family. Kate comes off as completely clueless about royal etiquette as do her parents. There is no Pippa and James and no sense of how close the Middletons are, which is apparently what attracted William in the first place. <br />
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What gauls me about both these movies is that there are dozens of books and magazines that have been written about the royal couple, documenting at least the milestones in their relationship and both movies either fudge the details (because they have the cheapest budgets on the planet) or don't care. Kate didn't take the job at Jigsaw until almost a year after her graduation from college. Where was the scene of Prince William landing a helicopter on the Middleton's lawn? Kate and her family showing up at Prince William's graduation, and Carole Middleton getting slagged for chewing nicotine gum? The nights out at Bouji and Mahiki? Kate taking part in the charity race (the first movie at least got this right). The only sign of William feeling trapped is Kate pointing out a crib in a shop window. In the Hallmark movie, Kate and William get back together after they discover they are both watching the same concert in the park. <br />
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While the Hallmark movie has a more distinguished cast (Victor Garber, Jane Alexander and Jean Smart), Ben Cross was a much more believable Prince Charles than Victor Garber. Not sure what was the point of having scenes with Camilla since we never get a sense of her relationship with Prince William, Prince Harry or even the Queen. The Lifetime movie also gave you more of a sense of the time that Kate and William spent together, skiing, spending weekends at Highgrove. However, both films feature the generic friends of Prince William who don't really have names but are just filler. <br />
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I have to give this film an A for effort but a C+ for delivery.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-77517656772474466542011-08-18T12:48:00.000-04:002011-08-18T12:48:51.781-04:00Gotham Gal Review: TOUT SWEET<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik0LzwiW6MfUkA1SHm5kGzwNCQUn6q7Jl0lzA8AWPWkK3IJEDbl1yJRRcO-MehKA3feW7KiF1FcolT1YZW4Y-MrMC_TuVcJPfGTi1XVKr_ECnebbMbtNikFuAVMgBzqOSywvf/s1600/115022839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgik0LzwiW6MfUkA1SHm5kGzwNCQUn6q7Jl0lzA8AWPWkK3IJEDbl1yJRRcO-MehKA3feW7KiF1FcolT1YZW4Y-MrMC_TuVcJPfGTi1XVKr_ECnebbMbtNikFuAVMgBzqOSywvf/s1600/115022839.jpg" /></a></div>Title: <strong>Tout Sweet</strong><br />
Author: Karen Wheeler<br />
Pub. Date: August 2011<br />
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Publisher: Sourcebooks, Incorporated<br />
Format: Paperback , 320pp <br />
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<strong>Synopsis:</strong> In her mid-thirties, fashion editor Karen has it all: a handsome boyfriend, a fab flat in west London, and an array of gorgeus shoes. But when her boyfriend, Eric, leaves she makes an unexpected decision: to hang up her Manolos and wave good-bye to her glamorous city lifestyle to go it alone in a run-down house in rural Poitou-Charentes, central western France. <br />
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Tout Sweet is the perfect read for anyone who dreams of chucking away their BlackBerry in favor of real blackberrying and downshifting to a romantic, alluring locale where new friendships–and new loves–are just some of the treasures to be found amongst life's simple pleasures. <br />
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<strong>About the Author:</strong> Karen Wheeler is a former fashion editor for the Mail on Sunday and current writer for the Financial Times 'How to Spend It' magazine and London's Daily Mail. Her work has appeared in the <i>Evening Standard</i> and You magazines, <i>Sunday Times Style</i> and numerous international publications. Visit Karen at www.toutsweet.net and Twitter @mimipompom1<br />
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<strong>Gotham Gal says:</strong> Sourcebooks asked me to review this book weeks ago, and due to work and putting together book proposals, I only managed to read the book this past weekend. It was just the palate cleanser that I needed after reading severa historical novels and non-fiction books in succession. This was a light, fun read that had surprising depth at times. On the surface, Wheeler has led a life that most of us would envy, she works as a beauty and fashion editor for a leading London magazine (which she does not name), filled with beautiful parties, countless shoes and dresses. When her plans to marry her handsome French boyfriend fall through, she decides at 35 to change her life. She buys a fixer-upper with no heat or hot water in a remote French village on impulse—"a long way from anyone's idea of the charming French house." <br />
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Although her relationship with her boyfriend is long over, Wheeler finds it hard to recover, especially after she finds out some devastating information that makes her question everything. What I found interesting about the book was how quickly Wheeler adapted to life in a small village where everyone knows your business. She quickly settles into a routine and makes friends incredibly easy. I was impressed by the fact that she took her time improving her French in twice weekly classes before she made the move, instead of just relying on some weird version of Franglais like some of the Europeans that she describes in the book. I found it rather strange that she lived on bread and cheese for months until she has a functioning kitchen, when she had new friends who were more than willing to feed her. <br />
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The book only became bogged down when it dealt with her dating life. It seemed like every man she met was either a heel or a loser. The book came to life when it chronicles the details of how she transformed an unloved and neglected house into a cozy home. The house in a sense serves as a metaphor for Wheeler's broken heart. As the house starts to become more like a home, Wheeler starts to heal and become more whole. Wheeler proves to have a sharp eye for social commentary, her views on the ways on which ex-pats either don't adapt to France or they try to make France more like Britain (which begs the question why some of them chose to retire in a foreign country in the first place) are priceless. Some of the scenes in the book were priceless, particularly when she makes a discovery about the hunky baker in town, and a fun weekend she spends with friends bunked down in suite at the Plaza Athenee. I almost began to envy her life, being able to breeze to London and Paris for work, and in between settled down into her cozy country village, even without a Marks and Spencer food hall (don't they one in Paris?).<br />
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This book certainly deserves a place on the shelf of any armchair traveler. Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-87870975668431890122011-08-05T10:42:00.000-04:002011-08-05T10:42:25.021-04:00Gotham Gal Review: Death Takes a Holiday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDjd93s0e-8ObuMfxRpYYR1RahPuEMhnBJeZOwZPAzR5f4mN7ELB0QwNXUKF6iKjUS3SqvgZIJamC9RzSrt18o4X8o7qagI68qVUr_mQOItjWv0MCyLiAd-g38YMtyvTnaDv_/s1600/177670logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDjd93s0e-8ObuMfxRpYYR1RahPuEMhnBJeZOwZPAzR5f4mN7ELB0QwNXUKF6iKjUS3SqvgZIJamC9RzSrt18o4X8o7qagI68qVUr_mQOItjWv0MCyLiAd-g38YMtyvTnaDv_/s320/177670logo.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Synopsis: <em>In Death Takes a Holiday, it's just after the first World War and the loneliest of souls arrives at an Italian villa disguised as a handsome young Prince, and for the first time experiences the joys and heartbreaks of life. But when he unexpectedly falls in love with a newly engaged young woman, the mysterious stranger discovers that love may in fact be stronger than death. Directed by Tony® winner Doug Hughes (Doubt), this soaring tale of love is adapted by Tony®-winning writers Peter Stone (1776) and Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray), and features lush, romantic songs by Tony® winner Maury Yeston (Nine, Titanic). </em><br />
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Last night I went to see the new off-Broadway show DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, produced by the Roundabout Theatre company. I absolutely adore the 1934 film with Frederic March (didn't even bother to watch the remake MEET BRAD PITT), so I was anxious to see how they adapted the story. The film is based on an Italian play that was written right after the first World War when so many young men lost their lives, so there is a poignancy to the story of Death coming to Earth to take a holiday and learning about love and loss, and how what he does affects people. <br />
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Unfortunately I was very disappointed in both the show and several of the performances. My first disappointment was discovering that the lead actor, Julian Ovenden (FOYLE'S WAR, THE FORSYTHE SAGA) had to leave the show because of vocal problems. Just from seeing the stills from the show, and a brief clip, I could tell just how right he would have been for the lead role. Death should be sexy, mysterious and a bit sinister. The actor who replaced him, Kevin Early while a fine singer, just didn't have the acting chops for the role. He also looks more like a Midwestern farmer than either the Russian Prince he impersonates or Death. Jill Paice, who plays his love interest, plays Grazia as a giddy, naive woman, who flutters her hands alot and babbles on about true love. I found it hard to believe that they fell in love at first sight or that they are soulmates.<br />
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It doesn't help that the score is also unmemorable. I can't remember a single melody from the show, nothing stuck. LOVE NEVER DIES was not a great show but the title tune sticks with you, even though its annoying. One song in DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY sounded like something that was left on the cutting room floor by the creators of the 1920's pastiche musical THE BOYFRIEND. The biggest weakness in the show, however, is the denouement. Death has told Grazia's father that he has decided not to take her with him, he goes to tell her, but she's not frightened of him after he reveals his true nature, and they embrace. End of show. She never tells her parents of her decision, or why she's going. There needs to be a song when she explains to her family why she has made the decision that she's made, and how even though she's unhappy to leave them, she's fulfilling her destiny. The 1934 film has such a scene where Death and Grazia go off together, after she explains why.<br />
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The set was lovely and the costumes although generic 1920's were very pretty. I enjoyed some of the performances of the minor characters incuding Simon Jones and the butler, but all in all, it was a pretty dull evening.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-47737135797176585532011-07-11T10:39:00.001-04:002011-07-11T11:10:15.507-04:00Gotham Gal Review: IRONCLAD (2011)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ByVBU5Xs6b9ghTirdNNSpWbIbahYuyEae4OfO41jjOJ43MG2IJMwUyTBTgVQoAe0B16NLA8KykfDiJvX2Hk1r20_CAs3tRc7FAxPL5CsVt4dVGN69p_1EfAWaOy7a1xS1LnD/s1600/220px-Ironclad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ByVBU5Xs6b9ghTirdNNSpWbIbahYuyEae4OfO41jjOJ43MG2IJMwUyTBTgVQoAe0B16NLA8KykfDiJvX2Hk1r20_CAs3tRc7FAxPL5CsVt4dVGN69p_1EfAWaOy7a1xS1LnD/s320/220px-Ironclad.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><em><strong>IRONCLAD (2011)</strong></em><br />
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<em><strong>Directed by: Jonathan English</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Written by: Jonathan English</strong></em><br />
<em><strong> Erick Kastel</strong></em><br />
<em><strong> Stephen McDool</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Cast:</strong></em><br />
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James Purefoy as Marshall<br />
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Paul Giamatti as King John<br />
Brian Cox as Albany<br />
Mackenzie Crook as Marks<br />
Jason Flemyng as Beckett<br />
Derek Jacobi as Cornhill<br />
Kate Mara as Lady Isabel<br />
Jamie Foreman<br />
Charles Dance - Archbishop Langton<br />
Aneurin Barnard as Guy<br />
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Plot: A Templar knight and a ragtag band of warriors hold out for months against the hard-fought siege of Rochester Castle in 1215. Set just after King John's signing of the Magna Carta treaty, the group struggles against the King to defend the freedom iof their country. <br />
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Gotham Gal says: Well isn't that a tidy little plot summary from Wikipedia? But that basically is the entire plot of IRONCLAD. The film opens with King John signing the Magna Carta and a voice-over telling the audience that there was more to the story than previously known. IRONCLAD is what happened after the signing, when King John (Paul Giamatti relishing the chance to play a King), still pissed off at being forced to sign, decides to get back at all the barons in the kingdom because that's just the kind of douchebag that he is. He hires a band of Danish mercenaries, telling them that he will keep the Pope from Christianizing Denmark, if they help him. Oh, and he'll pay them a bunch of money as well, but apparently the whole keep the Pope out of Denmark is more important to them. <br />
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Meanwhile, Thomas Marshal (played by the delectable James Purefoy) has returned to England after many years fighting in the Holy Land. He stops at a castle belonging to the King, along with several priests. The King arrives, and because the chuch supported the barons, the priests are killed but Marshal manages to escape and make his way to Canterbury where he runs into Albany (Brian Cox) who has decided to continue the rebellion against the King. It seems that John has been killing off all the barons who signed Magna Carta and Albany is determined to stop him by taking Rochester Castle, which is located on the coast. Apparently, the French are also supposed to be making their way to England to help. <br />
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Albany manages to cobble together a group of about 6 guys along with Marshal to hold the castle. They make their way to Rochester where Cornhill is forced into helping them. From here on in, the film is one long battle scene interspersed with a few scenes of the men squabbling, learning to write their names, starving, and more squabbling. The battle scenes are incredibly bloody, body parts flying everywhere, blood spurting from every orifice. After awhile, I couldn't look at it any more, I just covered my eyes until they were over. <br />
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This is a film that requires you to check your brain at the door. Otherwise, you start wondering as I did, why Albany (D'Aubigny in real life) could only find like 6 men to help? Seriously, there had to have been more people pissed off at the king than that. Oh, and Thomas Marshal, the Knight Templar, is like a one man killing machine to the point of it being ridiculous. Although the way he wields his sword is incredibly sexy. I might have to start reading some medieval romances now after seeing this movie. <br />
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There is something of a love story, if you can call it that. Kate Mara (not to be confused with her sister Rooney) plays Lady Isabel, the wife of Cornhill (played by the great Derek Jacobi). According to Wikipedia, Megan Fox was attached at one point to play this role. Thank god she dropped out because she would have been terrible. Seriously, Megan Fox attempting an English accent? She can barely speak American English. Anywhoo, Lady Isabel is seriously horny because Cornhill who is much, much older has no interest in her other than telling her not to drink wine or do anything fun. So of course, the minute she spies Thomas Marshal, her hormones go into overdrive. See despite his vows of chastity, he just oozes testosterone what with all the killing he's been doing. Plus he's incredibly noble, he doesn't like killing, even in the name of God. <br />
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So of course, Lady Isabel has to get her some of that man candy. At first she creeps up on him while he's sharpening his sword (hint, hint). Of course, he's partially dressed, with his shirt artfully open to display one tantalizing man titty, lightly dusted with hair. While Lady Isabel salivated to reach out and touch him, so did every woman in the audience. I'm telling you it was nice to see a man objectified for a change. Of course, he tells her know, because he's a Templar and took vows and all. But Lady Isabel is not deterred, oh no. What with people dying left and right, she's determined to get some before they all get killed. This time, she decides to show him the goods by lifting up her dress. Apparently he liked what he saw because before you can say "Hail Mary," they're doing it in the barn. Not that the audience got to see anything, since nobody was getting killed. Instead, we just got a little bit of afterglow on Lady Isabel while Marshal glowered (James Purefoy gives very good glower and smoldering, man can he smolder) at her, calling what they did a sin. <br />
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Of course, all turns out well in the end, despite half the castle getting blown up (this actually happened). The French miraculously arrive in time (which didn't happen) and John is a sore loser. Again this didn't happen, in real life, the remaining occupants finally surrendered, and John died a year later, leaving his young son Henry III to continue his fight with the barons. I can't quarrel with the acting in this film. Paul Giamatti plays King John as a petty tyrant but who is very aware of the importance of the crown and wielding power. This is a King John who is not ready to give an inch or to compromise. James Purefoy has what the New York Times called an 'arresting screen presence.' He manages to say more without any words than any actor I have seen. And he's hot. Kate Mara has very little to do as Lady Isabel but be pretty and horny, which she does admirably. It was fun to see Derek Jacobi and Brian Cox together on film, particularly after having met Derek a few weeks ago. Was it worth the 'gulp' $13.00 I spent to see this film? No, not really, but it was fun nevertheless.<br />
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Gotham Gal verdict: 3 red apples.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-6657535712379553502011-06-15T13:08:00.000-04:002011-06-15T13:08:31.886-04:00Gotham Gal Review: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-oljyJhyKIAy0mwkpGDaK0JgXLYbFCPoFZkfUPi1dfRm1a4PDOaEWDXL2ipb16exUEJjRFMg2K9C71Z18NAkfVv0xLC6GRK_S9ch-zR6bQKVoHHXK2byw7VoQcTPgnaVba1f/s1600/playbill_2158_19237136.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-oljyJhyKIAy0mwkpGDaK0JgXLYbFCPoFZkfUPi1dfRm1a4PDOaEWDXL2ipb16exUEJjRFMg2K9C71Z18NAkfVv0xLC6GRK_S9ch-zR6bQKVoHHXK2byw7VoQcTPgnaVba1f/s1600/playbill_2158_19237136.gif" t8="true" /></a></div>So last night I went to see the Broadway production of <a href="http://www.arcadiabroadway.com/">ARCADIA</a> by Tom Stoppard which closes this Sunday. This is the first Broadway show that I have seen in god only knows how long, which is something that I'm hoping to change in the coming years (but more on that anon). I'm lucky enough to have a friend who gets TDF discounts so my orchestra ticket was less than half of the usual price although I had a restricted view.<br />
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I'm not a huge fan of Tom Stoppard, while I think he's a brilliant writer, sometimes he's too clever for his own good. He tries to cram so many ideas into a play that you don't know whether you're coming or going. I would suggest that if you are going to see any of his plays, that you read the script if it is published beforehand, or even afterwards, because there is a great deal that is just going to fly by you.<br />
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Arcadia is set in the fictional country estate of Sidley Park, in the years 1809-1812 and the present day. The events and activities of 2 modern day English scholars and the house's current residents are juxtaposed with the lives of the inhabitants who lived there 200 years in the past. In 1809, Thomasina Coverly, the precocious daughter of the house, is studying with her tutor Septimus Hodge who is a bit of a rake. Hodge is a contemporary of Lord Byron, who is mentioned constantly although he never makes an appearance. In the present day, Bernard Nightingale, a professor of English literature, matches wits with Hannah Jarvis, a writer, who is working on a book about a hermit who once resided on the grounds. Hannah is the author of a popular biography of Lady Caroline Lamb (a personal favorite of mine), rescuing her reputation as an author. Nightingale has been critical of her work. Nightingale is working on a book about Byron, in particular a mysterious chapter in his life, and thinks that the answer lies at Sidley Park Together, along with Valentine Coverly, who is a graduate student in mathematical biology, they uncover the truth about what happened in Thomasina's time, or what Bernard thinks happens. The play deals with a number of things including professional jealousy, evidence and truth when it comes to historical research, it skirts the line between being a tragedy and being a comedy.<br />
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The play in both the past and the present takes place in one room in the house, the garden front room. The play started off slowly for me, I wasn't sure what was going on, since there is a great deal of talk about Newton and the meaning of the phrase 'carnal embrace.' I won't go into a whole summary of what the play is about, but you can read a summary <a href="http://arcadiabroadway.com/about">here</a>. Out of all of the Tom Stoppard plays that I have seen (<em>The Real Thing</em>, <em>Rock and Roll</em>, <em>Invention of Love</em>,<em> Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead</em>, <em>Hapgood</em>), I think that <em>Arcadia</em> is probably my favorite. Maybe because it contains several of my favorite things, Lord Byron, an English Country estate, and the Regency era. He would probably deny it, but I think Mr. Stoppard is a closet romantic.<br />
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The cast was Anglo-American, most of the actors were American, but three of them were English. As someone who has spent a great deal of time in Britain, I had no problem picking out which three, without looking at my program. My favorite character in the whole play is Thomasina Coverly (played by Bel Powley who is English). She is quite possibly the cleverest person in the room, which if you know anything about the Regency, was not necessarily a good thing, in terms of marriage. She's incredibly precocious in that annoying way that child geniuses are, but also surprisingly vulnerable. Bel Powley's performance was touching, exuberant, and funny. One of my favorite scenes in the play is toward the end when she gets Septimus Hodge, her tutor, to teach her how to waltz. It's particularly poignant because we know her fate.<br />
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Septimus Hodge (played by Rufus Sewell in the original production, and Tom Riley in this production) is a wanna be Byron but he actually has a conscience, which Byron clearly did not. His role is that of the forbidden (I don't know why more Regency romance novels don't feature female pupils in love with their hot tutor). Lia Williams (who I saw in David Hare's Skylight many moons ago) plays Hannah Jarvis, teh modern day writer who actually does her historical research and doesn't cut corners the way Bernard Nightingale does. The weakest link in the cast for me was Billy Crudup (who I admit I haven't liked much since he left Mary Louise Parker when she was 8 months pregnant for Claire Danes) who plays Bernard Nightingale. He chews his words while speaking really fast, which means that a great deal of his lines got lost. Stoppard like Sondheim needs crisp, clear diction. He certainly had the right attitude to play the role, although his accent kept slipping. Raul Esparza (Valentine Coverly in the present day), however, managed to speak at just the same amount of speed as Crudup, but I could understand every word that he said. Meryl Streep's daughter Grace Gummer plays Chloe Coverly, and unfortunately she looks so much like her sister Mamie that for a moment, I thought it was her on stage. She also has a similar quality to her acting, and lacks the facility for accents that her mother has.<br />
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The production was well worth seeing although I had mixed feelings about some of the acting.<br />
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For another more personal viewpoint on the production, head on over here to author Leanna Renee Hieber's <a href="http://leannareneebooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/revisiting-arcadia.html">review</a>.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-31157490444959709122011-06-13T12:16:00.001-04:002011-06-13T12:41:13.075-04:00Gotham Gal Review: Finding Sarah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8jsbpzuMHARXZiliC7rxu6BzFkasxaK0mkG-LRoRtiv4P7AOrfxNQIY6AUN94fNb3nW7eoGFEVMbeCVoQRAGZQxKaVl4P_ASgaWz_toBEu9zXQ0mMwKPGhG8CKOKOTUb8pG3/s1600/article-2003061-0C88A9D200000578-762_634x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8jsbpzuMHARXZiliC7rxu6BzFkasxaK0mkG-LRoRtiv4P7AOrfxNQIY6AUN94fNb3nW7eoGFEVMbeCVoQRAGZQxKaVl4P_ASgaWz_toBEu9zXQ0mMwKPGhG8CKOKOTUb8pG3/s320/article-2003061-0C88A9D200000578-762_634x350.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
FINDING SARAH: From Royalty to the Real World<br />
OWN Network<br />
Sundays at 9:00 p.m.<br />
<br />
About the show (from the OWN Network site): <em>Candid and unprecedented, the six-part television series Finding Sarah documents Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York's emotional struggle to rebuild her life. In the series, viewers will hear the Duchess' personal story and witness her unforgettable journey of healing and self-improvement.</em><br />
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<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>To guide her through the ultimate mind/body makeover, she seeks guidance from traditional and non-traditional experts - a shaman, life coach, trainer and a horse whisperer - along with Oprah's "All Stars," Dr. Phil and Suze Orman.</em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>Together they help the Duchess address tough personal issues, ranging from finances to self esteem to physical fitness. Calling upon her inner-strength and resilience, the Duchess comes to terms with past missteps, tackles major life changes and even attempts an unforgettable physical challenge in the Arctic.</em><br />
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</em><br />
<em>Through it all, the Duchess hopes that as she heals and finds the true Sarah, and that others will learn from her story.</em><br />
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My thoughts: I wasn't sure at first whether or not I was going to watch There was quite a good deal in the newspapers last week about Sarah's claims of abuse, which were blown out of proportion, frankly. During her talks with Dr. Phil, she mentions what we might call emotional abuse, but certainly it wasn't intended that way. Her mother Susan spanked her as a child, which was not uncommon in the 1960's, part of that whole 'spare the rod, spoil the child' ethos. And both her parents were quite tough emotionally, they didn't condone a great deal of whinging or crying from their children, and they seem not to have been demonstrative in their affections. From all accounts, Sarah was quite an emotional child, and what her parents said to her, calling her a sheep's arse, selling her ponies (which really was obnoxious on her father's part, but then he was going to through a divorce and wasn't really thinking about how it affected his children).<br />
<br />
Sarah's problems seem to have stemmed from her mother's running off with the handsome Argentinian polo player Hector Barrantes. Back then, it wasn't again uncommon for upper class father's to get custody of their children in the event of a divorce (witness Princess Diana's father Earl Spencer getting custody of his four children), particularly when there was adultery on the part of the mother. I'm sure that Sarah's mother Susan believed that because her daughters were teenagers, that her leaving would be less traumatic, than it was say for Diana whose mother left when she was a small child. <br />
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I really began to feel for Sarah, I know what is like to have well-meaning parents, who loved me, say unkind things without realizing how it might affect me. I also understand, as I'm sure quite a lot of viewers do, what it's like to turn to food for comfort. On the one hand, I think the Duchess is very brave to finally at the age of 51 to want to change her life for the better and to get a grip. And she seems to have done a remarkable job with her daughters, of showing them love and affection and boosting their confidence, particularly since the press has been remarkably on kind at times about their fashion choices and their weight. On the other hand, I find it hard to listen to her try to blame the whole of last year's fiasco (the scandal of her selling access for cash) solely on <strong>The News of the World.</strong> She keeps repeating this story that she was only trying to get money for a friend, when it is clear from the video that she's selling access to Prince Andrew for cash. The undercover reporter did not make her say those things.<br />
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I also found it hard to stomach that she has been so fiscally irresponsible over the years. She had a job for several years before she married into the royal family, so presumably she paid rent, bought food, etc. At some point, someone should have sat her down (particuarly after she got into debt the first time) and taught her how to budget, invest her money etc. She was awfully cagey with Suze Orman about her divorce settlement from Prince Andrew. We all know pretty much what Princess Diana received after her divoce, it makes me wonder how the royal family had her over a barrel on that one.<br />
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The other thing I found interesting was that she mentioned how little she saw Prince Andrew while they were dating. Apparently she saw him less than Princess Diana did when Prince Charles was courting her, which again makes me wonder, why would you marry a man that you knew so little about? Was she just swept up in the romance of it, and never really stopped to think what she was getting into. Not so much the bit about marrying into the royal family, but marrying a naval officer. If she saw him so little during their courtship, did it not occur to her that this would continue after they were married? <br />
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Her enthusiasm and boisterousness seems to have made her jump in with both feet without ever thinking about the consequences of her actions. What I was struck by was her realization that she has been extraordinarily lucky in her life. She and Andrew have managed to co-parent successfully after their divorce, there seems to have been no bitterness on either side. He jumped in to offer her a place to live after last year's scandal, and they continued to live together for several years after their divorce. Oprah came to her rescue and offered her the chance to gain the tools to change her life (of course it wasn't totally altruistic). After her divorce, she managed to capitalize on a whole range of jobs to pull herself out of debt, and she also set up a charitable venture as well. So it's frustrating and heartbreaking that in the midst of all this, she has such self-loathing for herself.<br />
<br />
Sarah comes across as likeable, vulnerable, and incredibly clueless. She claims that after she got divorced, she didn't know how to do anything. I find that hard to believe, considering that for 8 years, she supported herself before she got married (well she had a job anyway) and she was only married to Prince Andrew for 6 years before they seperated in 1992 (they divorced in 1996). I've never met a woman of her age who was more child-like in her need to please people and to be taken care off, instead of standing on her own two feet.<br />
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I'm looking forward to seeing if this journey actually creates positive changes in her life, and if they continue after the cameras stop rolling. Will we need to have a Season 2?Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-34870886735778264092011-06-09T11:06:00.000-04:002011-06-09T11:06:47.860-04:00Gotham Gal Review: Witches of East End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AyedI07yH678arPne7Sla31FLNE6GtuXRVeqNZ_W3nU4aHDQJQKfMh7cJfQmfKir7zRN0vJoOfSbcQRLqk6t8rtmQaCKBzQyT3mL9U6IYuffCFiut8TRyBonHE9riNDNekuL/s1600/98553118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_AyedI07yH678arPne7Sla31FLNE6GtuXRVeqNZ_W3nU4aHDQJQKfMh7cJfQmfKir7zRN0vJoOfSbcQRLqk6t8rtmQaCKBzQyT3mL9U6IYuffCFiut8TRyBonHE9riNDNekuL/s320/98553118.jpg" t8="true" width="210" /></a></div>•WITCHES OF EAST END<br />
Author: Melissa de la Cruz<br />
Pub. Date: June 2011<br />
<br />
•Publisher: Hyperion<br />
•Format: Hardcover , 288pp <br />
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From the back cover: <br />
<br />
<em>The three Beauchamp women--Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid--live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. But they are harboring a mighty secret--they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there's Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache. </em><br />
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</em><br />
<em>For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople. It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it's time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them. </em><br />
<em><br />
</em><br />
<em>With a brand-new cast of characters, a fascinating and fresh world to discover, and a few surprise appearances from some of the Blue Blood fan favorites, this is a page-turning, deliciously fun, magical summer read fraught with love affairs, witchcraft, and an unforgettable battle between good and evil. </em><br />
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Gotham Gal reports: Melissa de la Cruz's new series is an intoxicating brew, a heady mixture of Norse mythology, and old-fashioned story-telling. I wasn't sure what to make of this book when I first started reading it. I received an ARC from the publisher, which indicated that the book was being positioned for the YA market that gobbled up her previous series <strong>The Blue Bloods</strong> and <strong>The Au Pairs</strong>. However this book is more suited for more mature teens. It's much more adult in many ways than her other books. de la Cruz's writing is much more assured and mature than her earlier works. <strong>Witches of East End</strong> is very reminiscent of Alice Hoffmann's work, particularly her book <strong>Practical Magic</strong>.<br />
<br />
My only quibble with the story is that she uses a real location Gardiner's Island in the book as well as the Gardiner family (who actually still own the island), one of whom is the villain in the book. Granted, her Gardiner's are fictional but it would like writing a novel and creating a whole other branch of the Roosevelt or Vanderbilt family. The Gardiners have owned that island since the late 17th century. It's perfect for the story, but it took me out of the reality that she was creating. That's just me and readers who don't know who the Gardiner family is and their relation to Long Island won't really care.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-84816123319659376872011-05-24T13:34:00.016-04:002011-05-25T09:51:32.252-04:00Gotham Gal Review: Midnight in Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcTdcaINMaLRMyHdsAJAFxgHTz0i7czWDmUkVJMxhajjDxIBW3ZCT4ZemcXsL6AF7UAj7v3dsaN5wJp5dvzcj0ZfpqJ5kPeWZpiTsEa_ukMj-82xoPMjjSwiFauHd_QIwEI0o/s1600/20midnight-span-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcTdcaINMaLRMyHdsAJAFxgHTz0i7czWDmUkVJMxhajjDxIBW3ZCT4ZemcXsL6AF7UAj7v3dsaN5wJp5dvzcj0ZfpqJ5kPeWZpiTsEa_ukMj-82xoPMjjSwiFauHd_QIwEI0o/s400/20midnight-span-articleLarge.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="label">/Title: Midnight in Paris</div><div class="label">Theatrical Release Date: 05/20/2011</div><div class="row"><div class="label">Starring: <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/owen-wilson/1941126/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Owen Wilson</span></a> , <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/marion-cotillard/1936034/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Marion Cotillard</span></a> , <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/rachel-mcadams/2070361/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Rachel McAdams</span></a> , <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/kathy-bates/1025220/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Kathy Bates</span></a> , <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/carla-bruni-sarkozy/10011110/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Carla Bruni-Sarkozy</span></a> </div></div><div class="row"><div class="label">Director(s): <a href="http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/woody-allen/1000092/main"><span style="color: #2864b4;">Woody Allen</span></a> </div></div><div class="row"><div class="label">Distributor(s): Sony Pictures Classics</div></div><div class="row"><div class="label">MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated for some sexual references and smoking. </div></div><div class="row"><div class="label">Genre(s): Comedy</div></div><br />
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This past weekend, I took myself off to the Cineplex along with my friend Mala to see Woody Allen's new film <strong>Midnight in Paris</strong>. Now I can't remember the last time I actually spent money to see a Woody Allen film, maybe way back when <strong>Match Point</strong> came out. Truthfully, I have not found his most recent oeuvre, apart from <strong>Vicky, Christina Barcelona</strong> to be either funny or interesting for that matter (Don't even get me started on the dreck he directed starring Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell). Despite my mixed feelings about Mr. Allen, I decided to give this film a shot for two reasons; it stars Owen Wilson and it's set in Paris. And not just Paris, but Paris in the 1920's, a period of history that I have been reading alot about lately, first during my research for SCANDALOUS WOMEN (Josephine Baker, Zelda Fitzgerald) but also in Paula MacLean's THE PARIS WIFE. I'm a huge 1920's buff so I had to see this film. If nothing else, I could look at the scenery for two hours. And indeed the first minute or so of the film is like a Valentine to Paris.<br />
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Well, I'm happy to report that <strong>Midnight in Paris</strong> was delightful. Owen Wilson plays Gil, a successful screenwriter, who is dissatisfied with both his professional career and (as we later see) his personal life. He's on a trip to Paris, with his fiancee Inez (played by Rachel McAdam) and her parents (Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy) who are celebrating a business deal. While Inez is more concerned with materialistic things, Gil is full of nostalgia. See, he once lived in Paris after college and has regretted leaving ever since. He dreams of renting a little garret and writing the great American novel. Inez, of course, things the whole idea is ridiculous. How can you get a great table at the Ivy, if you are a starving artist.<br />
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One night, after Inez and two of her friends Paul (played to perfection by Michael Sheen) go off dancing, Gil decides to walk back to their hotel (the Hotel Bristol). He gets lost and while he's trying to figure out which direction to go, an antique car pulls up and F. Scott Fitgerald (Tom Hiddleston) and Zelda (Allison Pill) invite him to a party. At first Gil thinks he's stumbled into some elaborate costume party (Cole Porter is even playing the piano) but it turns out to be all too real. He even meets his ideal Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll who almost steals the movie) who tells Gil that he should have Gertrude Stein read his novel. Gil can't believe his luck. Gil is giddy at the idea that he gets to experience a time in Paris that he's only read about and has always wanted to experience. In his mind, Paris in the 1920's is the ultimate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g6bMKXBYufABMl2_VjmRwAXKunlv85jA97_hzup3-1t54euFtMWZn7LmwGxYkTaJiH2VHTfWIupE51axUb9sjCJ6xjNLjqOvOCAU2c1a_9erdZzLTIRd85CkfWhQCSCimnHq/s1600/Midnight+in+Paris.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g6bMKXBYufABMl2_VjmRwAXKunlv85jA97_hzup3-1t54euFtMWZn7LmwGxYkTaJiH2VHTfWIupE51axUb9sjCJ6xjNLjqOvOCAU2c1a_9erdZzLTIRd85CkfWhQCSCimnHq/s320/Midnight+in+Paris.bmp" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Instead of just telling Inez what happened, Gil decides to show her, but she gives up before the car shows up. Gil not only gets to meet Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates) but he also meets a young model Adriana (played by the beautiful Marion Cotillard) who is having an affair with Picasso. There is an attraction between the two of them, but of course, Picasso (and Hemingway) not to mention Inez in the present complicate matters. Gil slowly starts to realize how dissatisfying his life really is, and how much he wants to seize the dream of writing in Paris. <br />
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Gil's novel features a protagonist who owns a nostalgia shop, a place where people can buy relics of the past (how this different from an antique shop I have no idea). Inez, of course, thinks the whole idea is whooey, she's firmly rooted in the present. Gil dreams of staying in the 1920's, hanging out with Salvador Dali (Adrien Brody), but Adriana dreams of living in the Belle Epoque. Soon Gil realizes that this yearning is just a symptom of his dissatisfaction, not a cure.<br />
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<strong>Midnight in Paris</strong> is not just about a love affair with a woman (although Gil is spoiled for choices with not just one but three love interests), or a city, but also another time. How many of us read novels set in another time period, or watch Masterpiece Theatre (Downtown Abbey) and wax nostalgic about how much better life was back then. We see the beautiful costumes, and the gorgeous houses, but we rarely think about what life was really like, if you weren't rich. I know that I've often thought about what it would be like to live in New York in the 1920's. Prohibitons, Mobsters, Vogue Magazine, Chanel, Gershwin, Cole Porter, the Stork Club. Of course, the reality is far different than the way that I picture it in my head. Clubs were segregated, mobsters carry guns, and bathtub gin could kill you.<br />
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The past seems so much more vivid to Gil and Adrienne, so much more vivid and vibrant in our imaginations, and then it evaporates when we think of the reality of what it would really be like. We ignore the reality of it, that there was no novocaine, women had few rights, if you were diagnosed with cancer it was pretty much a death sentence. The past is so seductive because we weren't there, we don't know what it was really like. I know that growing up whenever my parents used wax nostalgic about what New York used to be like, I would feel pangs of longing that I never got experience seeing the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field or having an egg cream. “Midnight in Paris,” is wonderfully romantic film, even though it acknowledges the disappointment that goes inevitably goes along with being a romantic.<br />
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My only quibble with the film is that the women seem to be underwritten. Gil's fiancee Inez is a castrating shrew, I had a hard time understanding why Gil fell in love with her and proposed, Adriana is pretty much a cipher, and Carla Bruni is pretty bland as the tour guide. The only vibrant women are Gertrude Stein and Zelda Fitzgerald but that has less to do with Woody Allen's writing and more to do with who these women were in real-life. <br />
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<strong>Gotham Gal gives it four shiny red apples</strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: purple;">Do you, like Gil, suffer from nostalgia for a time period or a place that you wish that you could have lived in. If you could go back in time, would you?</span></strong>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-55552900684136694282011-05-23T17:21:00.002-04:002011-05-24T12:55:36.468-04:00Open Letter to Garin Wolf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXW-8mU4XixadqpAT3DbctpncL_25dewIb9rZpLdZVaE6bGvSwjWljfvbUXd4PEkHFYPLmRHbrcKaqx94db8PuWgWdGjU_ju16t64tngDMNv2pFDtxVfA0RLjsqte4DSmcpuM/s1600/general-hospital_320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXW-8mU4XixadqpAT3DbctpncL_25dewIb9rZpLdZVaE6bGvSwjWljfvbUXd4PEkHFYPLmRHbrcKaqx94db8PuWgWdGjU_ju16t64tngDMNv2pFDtxVfA0RLjsqte4DSmcpuM/s1600/general-hospital_320.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Dear Garin,<br />
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Congrats on your new job as head writer of General Hospital. It's no doubt well deserved, given the years that you have toiled in the trenches underneath Bob Guza. I'm taking your promotion as a sign that ABC has high hopes for GH now that they've tossed the mighty legacy of Agnes Nixon (All My Children and One Life to Live) on the trash heap. <br />
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I know it's going to be awhile before you stories air, but might I make a few suggestions as to how you can save this show from suffering the same fate as its sisters? First of all, forget market research, and listen to what the fans want. It's not hard to do. I suggest that you read what Mallory has been writing about GH over at <a href="http://serialdrama.typepad.com/">Serial Drama</a> for the past few years, and I'm sure that Jamie Giddens over at <a href="http://www.daytimeconfidential.com/">Daytime Confidential</a> could help out as well. Don't forget Carolyn Hinsey at Soap Opera Digest who hit the nail on the head when she said that viewers don't want stories driven by arbitrary events that might boost ratings for 5 seconds but have no lasting effect. We want character driven stories, not plot driven stories. Of course to make this work, some deadwood has to be trimmed from the cast. Lisa Niles, Matt Hunter, Spinelli, Clare Walsh, Siobhan (also known as irritating Irish chick who serves no purpose), Abby, Brenda (whose return was totally botched by your predecessor), Johnny and Anthony Zacchara all need to hit the road in the next few months.<br />
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Recently my friend Mala and I sat down over the weekend and played Head Writer. Here are just some of the ideas that I came up with (you can read Mala's ideas <a href="http://badnecklace.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/port-charles-perfect-10/">here</a>). I totally agree with her about a Lucky/Maxie/Liz triangle, it plays to the character's history and it makes sense that Lucky would turn to Maxie, especially if he's contemplating doing drugs again. Siobhan can't compete with that kind of history and frankly she's been written as nothing more than just feisty since she's been on the canvas.<br />
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1) Bring back Bobbie from under whatever rock she's been hiding under over the past several years. Carly needs her, as do Luke, Lucky and Lulu. Find out why she's missed every significant moment in her daughter's life over the past few years, and why she wasn't there for Luke's intervention. Have her help Carly deal with yet another failed marriage. Also give her a job as Head OR nurse or head of the nursing program in general at GH. She finds herself falling for her old love Scott Baldwin who has returned to town with his daughter Serena, who immediately makes a bee-line for Michael Corinthos. Seems she likes to take a walk on the wild side of life.<br />
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2) Mala mentioned having Jason Morgan recover his memories. Bring back either Lainey or Tom Hardy Jr. as head of psychiatry to help Jason deal with the fact that he's killed people for the past 16 years. Tracy would now feel threatened, wanting Ned and Dillon to come back into the fold at ELQ. Perhaps, if they don't want to come back, she reaches out to JR Chandler and a merger between Chandler Electronics and ELQ which would bring JR and little Adam to Port Charles. JR finds himself drawn to Sam McCall even though she's engaged to Jason Morgan Quartermaine. This would bring the Quartermaines back to the forefront which is what fans have been clamoring for. Perhaps add a little corporate espionage to the mix. While you are at it, why not have Edward start courting Leslie Webber, finding love again in his twilight years. Take a look at the fan reaction to Victor Kiriakis and Maggie Horton over at DOL. Fans are open to love amongst all ages.<br />
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3) Now that Jason has taken his rightful place as the Quartermaine heir, where does that leave Sam? How does a con artist/detective/mob moll fit in to his new high sociey world? Especially when Kelly Cramer comes to town to take over the Port Charles newspaper. Sam breaks up with Jason and decided to find out who her father is which sends both Helena Cassadine and Alexis into a tizzy. Valentine Cassadine arrives in Port Charles and immediately moves into Windermere along with his new wife Holly Sutton. Is he Sam's father or is the truth even darker than she realizes? While Helena Cassadine tries to neutralize Sam finding out who her real father is, she also finds time to try and romance both Dr. David Hayward and Edward Quartermaine.<br />
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4) Dr. David Hayward arrives in Port Charles and takes over as head of cardiac surgery which puts him into conflict with Dr. Monica Quartermaine who is not ready to be put out to pasture. The two butt heads over surgeries and procedures. He immediately makes an ally of Carly Roberts Quartermaine Corinthos Jax who now has a seat on the hospital board thanks to her divorce from Jax. Of course they hit the sheets, becoming Port Charles's new power couple. Hayward also clashes with Patrick Drake over who has the bigger cojones as a doctor. Despite the fact that he was once Robin's stepfather when he was married to her mother Anna, Hayward and Robin also clash over her research. Remember David Hayward loves to mess with drugs (Libidizone anyone?). Who knows what he could create and release into the punch bowl at say the nurse's ball?<br />
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5) If Robin didn't have enough of a headache with her former stepfather back in town, her uncle deciding to quit the police force, Bianca Montgomery comes to town and reveals exactly what Robin was doing all those years in Paris. Bianca comes to town to make a business deal with Jasper Jax. Fusion needs a serious influx of cash and Jax is one of the few venture capitalists who has money to invest. Sonny also wants to invest so that he can launder some cash in a desperate attemp to go clean to try and get Brenda back. While in town, Bianca connects with her old friend Robin. It turns out that the women were more than friends for awhile until Robin decided that she really prefers men, but seeing Bianca again stirs up old feelings which causes Patrick to once again feel insecure and to have problems controlling his jealously.<br />
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6) Mac decides to retire as police commissioner, disallusioned by the force's inability to end organized crime in the city. He takes a job as head of security at the MetroCourt where Max and Milo now work since Sonny has decided to go straight. Frisco Jones, after years of working for the WSB, finally comes back to town, on a mission to find out what Helena and Valentine Cassadine are up to. He also needs to deal with one angry daughter, Maxie Jones, who tears into him for his years of neglect, and for not even coming back for her sister Georgie's funeral. Maxie finally deals with her daddy issues. While working at the Metrocourt he runs into Kate Howard, who decides to make Mac her new pet project.<br />
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7) Lucas Jones comes back to town and gets a job at General Hospital as a physical therapist. He reconnects with his cousin Maxie, commiserating over the death of Georgie. He also connects with his big sister Carly. When Milo needs physical therapy to cope with an older injury, he finds himself attracted to a guy for the first time in his life. But Milo is not the only one in town who has is eye on the handsome new employee at GH.<br />
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8) Ethan and Kristina impulsively get married after he receives his cut of the Quartermaine money but he finds himself feeling left out when Kristina starts attending Port Charles University, along side Dillon Quartermaine who has returned to Port Charles. He keenly feels his lack of education compared to Kristina but doesn't know what to do about it. Kristina assures him that she loves him exactly the way that he is, but he worries that he can't compete with the Taylor's and Dillon's of the world. The only way he thinks he can compete is by having money. He gets involved in a series of underground high stakes poker games. Initially he wins several but then he gets into deep.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-25161681637900071502011-05-03T13:12:00.001-04:002011-05-03T13:13:39.840-04:00Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge: Royal Housewife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vBdpPrhKt1oXOL1bp5tXhAblFbsP5bYsvc8uGTuvXzy167r-3r_uIZwJNticbA8N9sQoZ3q6IEe7_UWM_uEew__4Af1h8evtuwSjc2BuyzSwjXlA9MWvGrOVT8M0fMdrCHBY/s1600/article-0-0BD47DA500000578-684_468x347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vBdpPrhKt1oXOL1bp5tXhAblFbsP5bYsvc8uGTuvXzy167r-3r_uIZwJNticbA8N9sQoZ3q6IEe7_UWM_uEew__4Af1h8evtuwSjc2BuyzSwjXlA9MWvGrOVT8M0fMdrCHBY/s320/article-0-0BD47DA500000578-684_468x347.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Now that the wedding is over, and the top of the wedding cake has been frozen to be eaten on their first anniversary (do the Brits even follow that custom?) what is next for the royal couple? After a brief weekend break, Prince William went back to work today as a search and rescue pilot with the RAF. The couple are not set to take their honeymoon for a few weeks, hopefully somewhere warm (There is speculation that the royal honeymoon was canceled because of what went down this weekend with Osama). While the Duke is pursuing his career in the RAF, Kate is set to return to normality as a housewife. Word on the street is that she has decided not to become a full-time working royal for the next two years, instead she wants to enjoy life for as long as she can as an ‘ordinary RAF wife’ in the rented farmhouse that they share on the island of Anglesey in North Wales . “Catherine wants to enjoy her time with William as an RAF wife,” said a friend. “It’s so rare that someone in her position gets the chance to live as a normal wife and she intends to make the most of it.”<br />
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Kate’s life will be somewhat reminiscent of the Queen’s life when she first married the Duke of Edinburgh who was still an active officer in the Royal Navy. Some of the happiest times of their lives were when they were first married and the Duke was posted to Malta. Between 1949 and 1951, the Duke of Edinburgh was stationed in Malta (then a British Protectorate) as a serving Royal Navy officer. He and Elizabeth lived intermittently, for several months at a time, in the Maltese hamlet of Gwardamanġia, at the Villa Gwardamanġia, the rented home of Philip's uncle, Lord Mountbatten. The children, Anne and Charles however remained in Britain.<br />
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The Duchess has been invited to join the wives' club at RAF Valley. Support from other women in a similar situation will be important. Only they really understand the difficulties of having a spouse in a high-pressure job such as search and rescue. Other wives may also provide a social network for Kate if she goes through a lengthy separation from William. It has been reported that he may be posted to the Falkland Islands to serve for two and a half months as part of his training. In the meantime, Kate will only conduct public engagements with William. According to the Daily Mail, Kate wants to model herself on Camilla, who insisted on a 'supporting role' only after her marriage to Prince Charles in 2005. <br />
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This decision is as much William’s as it is Kate’s doing, as he has asked aides to keep her commitments to a minimum. Accordingly, there are only a few events penciled into her diary for the upcoming months. The only definite dates include events like Trooping the Color (aka the Queen’s official birthday), a couple of polo matches and the Duke of Edinburgh's 90th birthday. There will also be Zara Phillip’s wedding to Mike Tindall in Scotland at the end of July. Meanwhile, in Canada excitement is building as Kate will accompany William on a two-week tour in July. Rumor has it that the royal couple may be bringing some glitz and glamor to Tinsletown itself at the end of the tour although that hasn’t been confirmed (at least according to Andrew Morton on his new site The Morton Report). Word is that they will also be taking on a significant role next year for the Olympics, not to mention the Queen’s 60th anniversary on the throne.<br />
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Seriously though, one has to wonder, won’t she get bored just sitting around the cottage waiting for William to come home? Before she, at least, had her job at Party Pieces to occupy her when she wasn’t with William. Aides to the Prince however insist that Kate ‘will not be idle’ and that while William is on duty, she will be ‘pursuing other interests.’ Hmm, Kate once expressed an interest in photography, I wonder if she might take that up again. There’s also the possibility eventually of the pitter-patter of tiny royal feet.<br />
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Soon, however, Kate will have to take on some royal engagements on her own. It is important that she be seen to be earning her keep as it were. During the years that she was dating Prince William, she was criticized for being ‘work-shy.’ Apart from working for her parents at Party Pieces, the only job she had was as a part-time Accessories buyer for the High-Street chain Jigsaw. Last year, the Queen who is 85 conducted 444 royal engagements, while Prince Charles carried out 585! William on the other hand performed 73. Of course, he also has a full-time job in the RAF so he can be forgiven for not undertaking more. Kate, however, does not have that excuse. <br />
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While it is understandable that Prince William does not want Kate to be thrown into the deep end the way is mother was, Kate seems to be a pretty tough cookie. She’s already proven that she has a natural confidence about her in the few royal engagements that she performed before the wedding. I have a feeling that she would be fine if she undertook a few solo engagements at carefully selected charities that have some personal meaning to her. However, according to the Daily Mail, she wants to explore the fields that interest her before committing to her own charities. <br />
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It appears that Kate has the blessing of the Queen, who no doubt remembers what it was like in the few short years that she had as a newlywed before her father’s untimely death which thrust her into the duties of the monarchy. You have to applaud Kate’s chutzpah at bucking royal tradition.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-71305883831527793782011-04-30T12:07:00.001-04:002011-04-30T12:09:42.109-04:00He Liked It So Much He Put a Ring on It: The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtlCCc-8cPLiWHpFSihMxIt4YHwaCnWAjGk4x-jwyBxVecDUdZPGf7JpTgKayxUW35tsCR23ucVaO0O6tz91SvIURDHXBfFlgmRNN4NYnDtlcDrhET6SZw5kfoT4eOHLcqqsq/s1600/prince-william-3-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqtlCCc-8cPLiWHpFSihMxIt4YHwaCnWAjGk4x-jwyBxVecDUdZPGf7JpTgKayxUW35tsCR23ucVaO0O6tz91SvIURDHXBfFlgmRNN4NYnDtlcDrhET6SZw5kfoT4eOHLcqqsq/s320/prince-william-3-300.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
This is not a recap of the wedding of the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge per se. After watching about a zillion hours of royal wedding programming leading up to yesterday's nuptials, I'm a little burnt out. Seriously, I felt I had waited almost as long as Kate for the wedding. When Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, there was hoopla, but nothing like this. I don't remember quite as many books or TV specials. Of course it was a different world. No internet, no Twitter, Facebook, or blogs. What did we do back then in the stone age?<br />
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The only thing that was the same between that wedding and this was the sense of anticipation. The biggest difference is here we have a royal couple who are genuinely in love with each other and enjoy each other's company. The secret smiles they shared during the service, and the slight smirks from Prince William proved that this was an altogether different wedding. Not to mention the best man Prince Harry's stated intention to party all night long!<br />
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The night before the wedding, Catherine was at the Goring Hotel, spending her last night as a single woman in the bosom of her family. Contrast that with Lady Diana who was alone at Clarence House with the Queen Mother. No friends, and no family to soothe any anxieties she might have had. Prince William also spent the night with his family, Prince Charles and Prince Harry doing some male bonding. <br />
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I was lucky enough to be there in England when Prince Charles married Diana, and I remember thinking how surreal it was that a 19 year old girl was marrying a much older Prince and settling down before she had barely lived. William and Catherine however have grown up together, he's eased her into the family, he's protected her from the beginning. They are best friends as well as lovers.<br />
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However it didn't disappoint. What I loved about Catherine and William's nuptials was how they were able to make it seem like a family wedding, albeit a family with 1,900 guests. It was royal yet it felt intimate at the same time. I loved that Catherine was able to keep her wedding dress a secret until the day of the ceremony (although already there's apparently backlash against Sarah Burton and the House of Alexander McQueen because they denied making the dress when they were asked. Seriously? What did the press expect them to say?). I also loved that she didn't want William to see her until she was actually walking down the aisle. Loved that Prince Harry couldn't hellp turning around and then telling his brother that she looked fabulous. How sweet was that?<br />
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There were some nice moments during the ceremony. I liked that they both looked at each other when they said their vows. Although who didn't get the giggles when William said for 'richer or for poorer'? How about just for rich? The whole thing with the wedding ring though, didn't he have that sized before they made it? Watching him having to shove her wedding ring on her finger kind of ruined the moment. Brother James Middleton's rather dramatic reading was a hoot, particularly since I think the Queen slept through it. He looked like he was auditioning to be the 2nd spear carrier in the new RSC production of Antony & Cleopatra. I don't know what is orientation is, but I bet you he pulled last night at the evening reception at Buckingham Palace.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYkiB9pXXarVcwDtxeP6rdaehrK5D8hZ1IBH2gzYZRGNrnFIIdOf1wwkkhzBfv4OVK1ltNSvkMTeEcnTutdK-WxUa0xH5FmIzLSBP5F8Hdjfa-iJc5lm1P6jOolhufq4uRpfO/s1600/prince-william-4-660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimYkiB9pXXarVcwDtxeP6rdaehrK5D8hZ1IBH2gzYZRGNrnFIIdOf1wwkkhzBfv4OVK1ltNSvkMTeEcnTutdK-WxUa0xH5FmIzLSBP5F8Hdjfa-iJc5lm1P6jOolhufq4uRpfO/s320/prince-william-4-660.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Love this photo taken on the balcony as the planes flyo overhead, little Grace van Cutsem was just not having it. The planes were too loud and it hurt her ears.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjNXXqr1fGrQd-L5V-QpgoDo9qwzSNZLdXAjcaKmRwCU56yExNehrAQxEZE9AEXVb72Epafrl-DliU2BDNIKJ0lrhMAsPbr7AJYfQKvi0R0Lj9O888Hgm7Y-40HSlZ0crJRfO/s1600/prince-william-440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZjNXXqr1fGrQd-L5V-QpgoDo9qwzSNZLdXAjcaKmRwCU56yExNehrAQxEZE9AEXVb72Epafrl-DliU2BDNIKJ0lrhMAsPbr7AJYfQKvi0R0Lj9O888Hgm7Y-40HSlZ0crJRfO/s320/prince-william-440.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Official Family photo of the happy couple, Windsors on one side, Middletons on the other. You just know the Pipster knows how gorgeous she looks.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AiN7QxUN5BjeFQ6K3dwrk5z8MShquhq7C30tSLOL5hP72zjS94F8FvVVfZizYBLZQE3RmdYs5xjgMl2jpISTtvMpSoHs8HHQ4puzzkg0XYMrTMNDcvVTNbgTiBJZzSlaAgnB/s1600/prince-william-8-660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AiN7QxUN5BjeFQ6K3dwrk5z8MShquhq7C30tSLOL5hP72zjS94F8FvVVfZizYBLZQE3RmdYs5xjgMl2jpISTtvMpSoHs8HHQ4puzzkg0XYMrTMNDcvVTNbgTiBJZzSlaAgnB/s320/prince-william-8-660.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The happy couple drive off in a vintage Aston-Martin with the vanity licence plate of JU5T WED on the back and a big L for learner's permit on the front. Love that Prince William was driving the car himself. Not too thrilled when he kept taking his hand off the wheel to wave to the crowds. William, you now have a wife, let her do that while you drive. <br />
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Royal bridesmaid Pippa Middleton has apparently rocked the Internet after her appearance yesterday at the nuptials. It just goes to show you how confidant Kate is that she had no problem having her sister look as hot as she did in her dress. According to the Daily Mail there are now Facebook pages devoted to her posterior. Commenters yesterday were speculating that since it's something of a tradition for the maid of honor and the best man to hook up, that Prince Harry might try to hit on Pippa at the reception. Two problems with that. One, I just don't think she's into him judging by this photo.<br />
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Doesn't it look like Harry just farted or told some really filthy joke? Pippa is clearly not amused by whatever he's saying. Anyway, Pippa is dating Alexander Loudon, who was her date at the reception, where she showed up looking like this.<br />
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If you thought she looked hot at the wedding, just look at her now! Seriously what a gorgeous dress. It's an Alice Temperley and I can tell you, there are going to be knockoffs in the stores before the week is out. The color looks amazing on Pippa, but I think she needs to lay off the self-tanner a bit. Not that it matters, because Pippa Middleton is now the most eligible bachelorette in the UK. <br />
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Ah, Chelsy Davy, Harry's on/off and apparently on again girlfriend, wearing one of the two Alberta Ferretti outfits that she bought for the day's festivities. I'm sorry but she looks like Prince Harry pulled her into the vestibule for a quickie before the ceremony. (Come on, you totally know he's capable of it). The color totally doesn't suit her, it makes her look too pale and washed out. It's also too tight in the wrong places, and her fascinator blends in with her hair. Not a good choice Chelse.<br />
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Speaking of bad fashion choices, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson looks like she bought her dress from the Elmo Collection. It's just too much blue. Seriously, blue shoes, blue hat, blue gloves, way too matchy-matchy. The dress on it's own might not have been bad with a pair of nude shoes, but right now she looks like a giant blueberry.<br />
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Ah, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, I see they inherited their fashion sense from their mother. There is so much wrong with both their outfits, I don't know where to start. Eugenie, on the left, is wearing Vivienne Westwood which would normally be a good thing but this time, her outfit makes her look like a Watteau shepherdess looking for her lost flock. The hat is hideous and her hair looks like she just rolled out of bed. Beatrice is wearing a Valentino which she has ruined by wearing a satellite dish on her forehead.<br />
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Catherine's dress for the dinner that Prince Charles threw for the couple at Buckingham Palace. Not as thrilled with it as I was with the dress, but god her waist is miniscule isn't it?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH7jhYbd7gWQ_CyfzOe18KOeCTH3gadykpDQgsEglZiZFGy-8G12bBxmh6RrmBqx2RDWMqVRH43P6ODaE3QcxeqVxflJ5CxaYCrR5U0GGKRGUQQx4mdKFc7G9tgl9ClJsEpXk/s1600/kate-middleton-440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH7jhYbd7gWQ_CyfzOe18KOeCTH3gadykpDQgsEglZiZFGy-8G12bBxmh6RrmBqx2RDWMqVRH43P6ODaE3QcxeqVxflJ5CxaYCrR5U0GGKRGUQQx4mdKFc7G9tgl9ClJsEpXk/s320/kate-middleton-440.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The royal couple leave for their weekend mini-honeymoon from the lawn at Buckingham Palace. They look relaxed and very happy. Nice to see them holding hands! So different from when Charles and Diana left after the wedding breakfast on the day of their wedding. Diana was wearing a pink dress and hat that wouldn't have looked out of place at Royal Ascot and Charles was in a stiff suit. They took a carriage to the station, before they headed off to Broadlands. I think I much prefer this casual but happy photo of William and Catherine.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-73236237821064643732011-04-29T12:07:00.000-04:002011-04-29T12:07:05.747-04:00Royal Honeymoons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rxwXp_3MazxHTWSWrGiWq2j7XuYokQpL81kvjay5eysinUOUas0u-EeD1Y3PrV6zaM80v8xaqDnYdkGDeTVE5hPNMR3B-KaPx6V9LfzB101ilFJEM_0kWnetlEFm3S5JO97f/s1600/article-1381851-0BD3BDFB00000578-836_308x727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rxwXp_3MazxHTWSWrGiWq2j7XuYokQpL81kvjay5eysinUOUas0u-EeD1Y3PrV6zaM80v8xaqDnYdkGDeTVE5hPNMR3B-KaPx6V9LfzB101ilFJEM_0kWnetlEFm3S5JO97f/s320/article-1381851-0BD3BDFB00000578-836_308x727.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>So the day finally arrived, Prince William and Kate Middleton are now HRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Didn't Catherine look lovely in her Alexander McQueen dress, designed by Sarah Burton, wearing the Halo tiara borrowed from the Queen (as her something borrowed)? Did you gasp when it looked like Prince William couldn't get the ring on her finger? And what about those two kisses? Now the question on everyone's mind is, where are these two crazy kids going on their honeymoon?<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">When it comes to packing for their royal honeymoon, might the couple be taking along swimwear and scuba gear?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>The Sunday Mirror</strong> reported that the couple could be enjoying their honeymoon on Lizard Island – one among a chain of islands along the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia</span>. </span>Transportation to the island, "tipped as the most likely destination," according to the Mirror, requires a scenic hour-long flight from Cairns. The white sandy paradise isn't an unlikely post-nuptial destination for the pair. While speaking to Aussie locals last month on a trip to visit towns affected by Cyclone Yasi, William, 28, said, "I love scuba diving. I have always wanted to dive the [Great] Barrier Reef." He added: "I will have to come back – maybe we'll have a honeymoon in Cairns?" </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Duchess sparked that someplace warm might be their destination last week after she was spotted out shopping at Warehouse in London, scooping up $350 worth sundresses and tops. Another suggestion is that they could wind up in Jordan, where Kate spent part of her childhood, or they could return to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, hop the pond to Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, or visit the island of Corfu in Greece. Perhaps the island of Mustique where Princess Margaret used to have a villa or Eleuthera where Princess Diana was famously photographed wearing a bikini when she was pregnant with Prince William. All these places have been talked about but Palace sources have yet to confirm an official royal honeymoon destination which is driving the paparazzi crazy. How can they get those exclusive honeymoon shots which will no doubt net them a fortune (enough to retire on maybe) if they don’t know where the happy couple are going? </div><br />
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If it were me, I would head to Venice or Paris, but I have a feeling this couple are headed somewhere they can relax before they come back to the daunting task of sending out thank you notes (or emails in this modern age) to all their guests. But what about Scotland, a popular honeymoon destination for the Royal Family and where the couple famously met at university. Prince Charles took Princess Diana on a cruise on the royal yacht Britannia for their honeymoon, after spending the night at Broadlands, the estate that belonged to his great uncle Earl Mountbatten of Burma. However, he chose the Queen Mother's home, Birkhall, for his honeymoon with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Earlier on, Prince Philip and the Queen also had their honeymoon here. Also, Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy had their honeymoon in Birkhall. In 1999, Prince Edward and his bride Sophie Rhys-Jones flew to the family's Balmoral Castle in Scotland for the first leg of their honeymoon, according to <em>The Times of London</em>. The word is that they also spent their wedding night at Birkhall Lodge.<br />
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Chances are William and Kate will be spending at least part of their summer when the Queen decamps to Balmoral for the summer, but my bet is still someplace quiet where they can enjoy their first few days of married life. Whereever they go, I hope that they get to spend at least part of it without having to worry about photographers following their every move.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-30471665622767114142011-04-22T10:57:00.001-04:002011-04-22T11:07:03.930-04:00Royal Wedding: David, Viscount Linley and Serena Stanhope<em>"My children are not royal," Princess Margaret once said. "They just happen to have an aunt who is the Queen." </em><br />
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Technically this is only a royal wedding because Viscount Linley's late mother was the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret Rose, Countess of Snowden, but it's my blog and I really thought this wedding was lovely. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Princess Margaret's son, David Armstrong-Jones or Viscount Linley, married the Hon. Serena Stanhope on 8th October 1993 at St. Margaret's Church. <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The bride, 23, </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">is the daughter of the Earl of Harrington, who owns a 700-acre estate in County Limerick and vast chunks of Kensington. Her mother, Virginia Freeman Jackson, was a debutante. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">From the radiant looks on Viscount Linley and his bride, no one would have guessed that there was any tension behind the smiles. Indeed, the House of Windsor was on its best behavior, which was billed in the British tabloids as the Wedding of the Year. The grooms parents, Princess Margaret and the Earl of Snowdon, who had a particularly acrimonious split, managed to play nice by arriving together for the 3 p.m. wedding. The Queen looked relaxed as she stepped out of her Rolls with Prince Edward and the Queen Mum. And Princess Anne, who never really warmed to her wayward sister-in-law Princess of Wales, greeted her with a kiss. </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The wedding, however, was noticeable for who didn't show up. Allegedly eager to avoid his estranged wife, Prince Charles hightailed it to Turkey on official business. For some reason, Prince Philip chose to be at a carriage-driving event in Gladstone, N.J. Prince Andrew at least had a legitimate excuse, he was on naval duty in Gibraltar, and of course Duchess of York was probably not invited beginning her years in the Royal wilderness.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">What I find so interesting about this wedding is Serena's dress, whicch was designed by couturier Bruce Bobbins at a cost of $9,000, <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">was reminiscent of Princess Margaret's 1960 wedding gown</span> but reflected her own personality and taste. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggW2W4MAZn6s4poqfqkPWvoTkLBlBXEfos7XVAPCarONEoFfhWtD6oBd9BEo93oypEuUCy2_hwZ-tIvmxPWg9VpTu0wxXZjRIrt_gD5V6S_4875LYCZulChotytnKwKKJppDPp/s1600/1993-10-08%252520Serena%25252003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggW2W4MAZn6s4poqfqkPWvoTkLBlBXEfos7XVAPCarONEoFfhWtD6oBd9BEo93oypEuUCy2_hwZ-tIvmxPWg9VpTu0wxXZjRIrt_gD5V6S_4875LYCZulChotytnKwKKJppDPp/s320/1993-10-08%252520Serena%25252003.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><br />
As you can see from the pictures, both dresses featured a v-neck, long sleeves, tight waist, and very full skirt. However Serena's was actually in two parts: a satin 'coat-dress', which buttoned down the front, and continued half-way down the skirt which was made out of silk, covered by multiple layers of tulle. Princess Margaret's wedding dress, on the other hand, was made from silk organza with thirty metres of fabric in the skirt alone. However, the embellishment on the dress was minimal which suited Princess Margaret’s delicate frame. Hartnell’s designs were much admired by the Princess, as she explains in <em>The Englishwoman’s Wardrobe</em>, he was ‘always so good at getting the balance right.’ Neither gown featured a long train which was unusual given the long trains featured on the wedding dresses of Diana, Princess of Wales and Sarah, Duchess of York. Since both women are petite, a long train would probably have overbalanced them.<br />
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Both Princess Margaret and Serena wore their hair up, enclosed by a tiara, from which a veil fell to the same length as the gown's train. Serena's upswept blond hair was arranged by hairdresser Nicky Clarke for a reported $1,500. <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDl-70riHYqX3BNN7RODFuHa_Hdk_fp-sG2BiBzGxZwHe7igwZMTXnkNkN3Ojbm8DloXc5GknlCGnRR87Ul3MsSWoBk0qhPo2fqi2j1j7UZD9js3wgAe8IjoT2bVQB-Uu3UKQg/s1600/england-2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDl-70riHYqX3BNN7RODFuHa_Hdk_fp-sG2BiBzGxZwHe7igwZMTXnkNkN3Ojbm8DloXc5GknlCGnRR87Ul3MsSWoBk0qhPo2fqi2j1j7UZD9js3wgAe8IjoT2bVQB-Uu3UKQg/s320/england-2a.jpg" width="171" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Poltimore tiara (see below), made in 1870 for Lady Poltimore, and was bought at auction especially for Princess Margaret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, her children sold the tiara at auction after her death, which is such a shame because it is gorgeous. It would have looked lovely on Kate Middleton for her wedding, or even as an heirloom for little Margarita Armstrong-Jones to wear at her wedding.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKtcp5dLSanDbq_I-SO0FelzaDoyvDcwrswckb0NQq6YbNCk6NTYJM8rczGfSYGUbdRQ7QjbY9YparwXFvUU2aWZEoDNFnSSmShAmEWu-S9L893QR7IB5jTFDFYG_ZZC0kd-f/s1600/Poltimore_Tiara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimKtcp5dLSanDbq_I-SO0FelzaDoyvDcwrswckb0NQq6YbNCk6NTYJM8rczGfSYGUbdRQ7QjbY9YparwXFvUU2aWZEoDNFnSSmShAmEWu-S9L893QR7IB5jTFDFYG_ZZC0kd-f/s1600/Poltimore_Tiara.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Serena is wearing the Papyrus Motive Tiara. This tiara was bought by Queen Mary from Garrard's. She later gave it to Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Mother), Duchess of York. She in turn gave it to her daughter Princess Margaret. Serena Linley borrowed the tiara on the day the wedding.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><em>Sources: People Magazine, Hello Magazine, Majesty Magazine</em>.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Viscount Linley goes professionally by the name David Linley, and is currently chairman of Christie's UK, the international auction house. He is the queen's only nephew and is also fourteenth in line to the throne, and the first person in the line of succession who is not a descendant of the queen. The couple have two children, the Honorable Charles Armstrong-Jones, born in 1999, and the Honorable Margarita Amstrong-Jones, who will be a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.</span></div>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-87066887073628003892011-04-21T11:13:00.000-04:002011-04-21T11:13:19.176-04:00Happy Birthday Queen Elizabeth II<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4fIPkHS5fPji1WmYAMnaiXuTQ8oVRfv7a1P_yCSNbkvu2dtPwsxZnmr0CUlek8llrs-cqVKvN8Y3EB3X92KDL_VWViuS0EluxAqpsNNuJE9JoqdyR3kzLA8tA3a6fJ9YxpyN/s1600/210px-Elizabeth_II_greets_NASA_GSFC_employees%252C_May_8%252C_2007_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4fIPkHS5fPji1WmYAMnaiXuTQ8oVRfv7a1P_yCSNbkvu2dtPwsxZnmr0CUlek8llrs-cqVKvN8Y3EB3X92KDL_VWViuS0EluxAqpsNNuJE9JoqdyR3kzLA8tA3a6fJ9YxpyN/s1600/210px-Elizabeth_II_greets_NASA_GSFC_employees%252C_May_8%252C_2007_edit.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
Today marks the 85th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was born on April 21, 1926 as HRH Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary of York at her parents home in Picadilly (Royals didn't give birth in hospitals until the 1960's). Until the age of ten, she was fourth in line to the throne. Things changed of course, when her uncle Edward VIII bagged the throne to marry Mrs. Simpson. All of a sudden, Princess Elizabeth found herself not only second in line to throne, but facing the very real prospect that she would be Queen one day. Her idyllic childhood changed in that moment. Not that the Queen has ever complained about her life. She has a strong sense of duty (comes from being a Taurus). According to the April issue of Majesty Magazine, the Queen actually likes the structure and the routine of monarchy, every day regimented, knowing her schedule six months in advance. It's not just that she was brought up with it. No doubt, if Edward VIII had done his duty and married and sired a son (although there is speculation that he was probably sterile), she would have married some nice aristocrat and settled down to a life in the country with her horses and dogs, only occasionally fulfilling royal duties.<br />
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Although the Queen will have been on the throne for 60 years next year, there is still so much we don't know about her, and that's as it should be. She has actively cultivated the mystique of the monarchy. We do know that she keeps her breakfast cereal in Tupperware, eats her dinner on trays when she's home, and goes around turning out the lights in Buckingham Palace. We also know that she's worn the same hairstyle for the past 50 years, and wears neon colors so that she can be easily seen by the crowds in public. Beyond that, she is unknowable. Only three people in the world probably know the Queen intimately, her sister Margaret, her mother, Queen Elizabeth, and her husband Prince Philip. Even her children don't know her that well. They are always conscious that their mother is not just their mother, but also their Queen.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48hyE9OqMu17N-fERrfVBjl9v2Z5ZzK3n05XSBVzfFTt_Gw0G0dJEa_B3W_VOTm8keZbE4wxGyBamByVF_7DwJuy40XkH_l4BE98YPKWRl9gQ8-9MbTPj3kWehwctIj39VvAq/s1600/100019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48hyE9OqMu17N-fERrfVBjl9v2Z5ZzK3n05XSBVzfFTt_Gw0G0dJEa_B3W_VOTm8keZbE4wxGyBamByVF_7DwJuy40XkH_l4BE98YPKWRl9gQ8-9MbTPj3kWehwctIj39VvAq/s1600/100019.jpg" /></a></div>The Queen has been married for almost 64 years (Whoa) to Prince Philip. Royal Watchers know that she met her future groom when she was 13 and he was an 18 year old cadet at the Dartmouth Naval College. Apparently from that moment on, she had decided that he was going to be her husband (that stubborn Taurus Sun). Lucky for her, Prince Philip went along with the program and they were married when she turned 21.<br />
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That's her dress on the left. Isn't it beautiful? Seriously, I think it's much more beautiful then the dress that Diana wore for her wedding. It's simple but classic. If you shortened the sleeves, it could be worn today, and the color is stunning, from the picture it almost looks like a champagne color. And I adore the embroidery on the dress. It was designed by Norman Hartnell, who designed many of the Queen and the Queen Mother's clothes over the years. Can you imagine being couturier to the Queen of England?<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj166JUgs3ctILzolXAxo3cf37RW7RH41L83WSH8OgOhxVoLztalkPVbxmXBNzrnxKtH9EWlAJv0CLdqgNSUgziKB-oEE4sAtFPcOlvaQOHLeLIETI6Y9hMRnLdgIl6euBCeLYP/s1600/2002399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj166JUgs3ctILzolXAxo3cf37RW7RH41L83WSH8OgOhxVoLztalkPVbxmXBNzrnxKtH9EWlAJv0CLdqgNSUgziKB-oEE4sAtFPcOlvaQOHLeLIETI6Y9hMRnLdgIl6euBCeLYP/s1600/2002399.jpg" /></a>Here is a picture of the happy couple on their wedding day. The war had been over for only 2 years when the then Princess Elizabeth married her dashing Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, who renounced his Greek titles and citizenship to marry the Queen. The King made him the Duke of Edinburgh on their wedding day, so that she became HRH, the Duchess of Edinburgh. It had to have been hard for such an Alpha male like Prince Philip to know that he was going to have to walk 3 paces behind his wife for the rest of his life. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It would be interesting I think to see a TV movie about the Queen's early years, from the time of the war through the coronation. It would have to be carefully cast, like <em>The Queen</em> or <em>The King's Speech</em>. Otherwise, you end up with something like the Lifetime movie <em>William and Kate</em>.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-33590937249016677182011-04-20T10:32:00.000-04:002011-04-20T10:32:08.866-04:00Royal Bachelor: Prince Amedeo of Belgium<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXbgtuQj7BYL3OLibh6651hpZZWEDUsjmAc4J7jCz7nXGt3FF0lVljJrggTrO0LcRtYA2539AYWNeyi_AK05Pz2-qu09tQzSFeB79TMRia9fy7EY_Pju7xI19deQEnXM5IVd2/s1600/2010-12-02-16-23-52-4-prince-amedeo-of-belgium-the-first-child-of-kin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXbgtuQj7BYL3OLibh6651hpZZWEDUsjmAc4J7jCz7nXGt3FF0lVljJrggTrO0LcRtYA2539AYWNeyi_AK05Pz2-qu09tQzSFeB79TMRia9fy7EY_Pju7xI19deQEnXM5IVd2/s320/2010-12-02-16-23-52-4-prince-amedeo-of-belgium-the-first-child-of-kin.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Ah, Belgium, land of delicious chocolate, fruity beers, and mussells and pomme frites (mayonnaise on the side!). Belgium is also the home country for this week's royal bachelor, Prince Amedeo, who just turned 25. The monarchy in Belgium is a young one, the first King of the Belgians was Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, uncle to both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and widower of Princess Charlotte of Wales. <br />
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Prince Amedeo, who is 7th in line for the throne, is the son of Princess Astrid of Belgium (once tipped as a potential bride for Prince Charles if it hadn't been for her religion, she's Catholic) and Archduke Prince Lorenz of Austria-Este. The heir to the House of Austria-Este is reputed to be serious, thoughtful and ambitious (he certainly looks it in the photo on the left). Educated at London School of Economics, he is a reserve officer in the Belgian army.<br />
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American Princess wannabes take heart. Prince Amedeo works for Deloitte in New York, where he ran the marathon in 2008. No need to book a plane to Brussels, you can just hop one to New York. I'm sure that job applications for the New York office of Deloitte went off when Prince Amedeo was recently featured in The Fresh Princes of New York article in Page Six magazine of The New York Post. Not to mention, all those girls who previously had never put on a pair of running shoes, are probably jogging around the resevoir in Central Park as I write this, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Like most Princes, he also enjoys rugby, and speaks several languages fluently.<br />
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Rumor has it that he has a girlfriend but nobody has been able to confirm it. He doesn't look like a party animal, but no doubt he hangs out at cultural institutions in the city. One could do worse than to read The New York Social Diary, Town and Country or Quest Magazine to see where the Prince might be located or just hang out in any of the trendy bars and restaurants in the Financial District or the Upper East Side. Belgian consulate events n'est pas?Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-56902857841690891402011-04-19T11:29:00.006-04:002011-04-19T12:28:08.843-04:00Royal Review: William and Kate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNV1jB3vs322MNXqpC-yUiFZTV_ZWto5M1CW04twx0F41VBgcimB7nk_95x-r3_nJJxjxa9jLels-G2opWtOJoHluAeIYOaMT3Dn85gQkX-BqBgwKPrmjuwfJjPyAh13NW34N/s1600/wandk6-500x550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNV1jB3vs322MNXqpC-yUiFZTV_ZWto5M1CW04twx0F41VBgcimB7nk_95x-r3_nJJxjxa9jLels-G2opWtOJoHluAeIYOaMT3Dn85gQkX-BqBgwKPrmjuwfJjPyAh13NW34N/s320/wandk6-500x550.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><strong><em>THE CAST</em></strong><br />
CAMILLA LUDDINGTON as Kate Middleton <br />
NICO EVERS-SWINDELL as Prince William <br />
SERENA SCOTT THOMAS as Carole Middleton <br />
VICTORIA TENNANT as Celia<br />
CHARLES SHAUGHNESSY as Instructor<br />
BEN CROSS as Prince Charles<br />
AMANTHA WHITTAKER as Olivia Martin <br />
TRILBY GLOVER as Margaret Hemmings-Wellington <br />
JONATHAN PATRICK MOORE as Ian Musgrove <br />
RICHARD REID as Derek Rogers <br />
CHRISTOPHER COUSINS as Mike Middleton <br />
THEO CROSS as Trevor Watson <br />
LOUISE LINTON as Vanessa Rosemont Bellows <br />
MARY ELISE HAYDEN as Pippa Middleton <br />
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Synopsis: “William and Kate” tells the story of how the friendship between Prince William, second in line to the throne of the British monarchy, and future princess Kate Middleton, the stunning daughter of upper-middle-class commoners, blossomed into a romantic love affair, charming the world with their recent engagement and eagerly awaited royal wedding. The film chronicles the history of William and Kate — from the moment they met at Scotland’s prestigious University of St. Andrews, through the ups and downs of their nine-year courtship complicated by social and royal-family pressures, and intense global media attention surrounding their storybook nuptials. <br />
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Gotham Gal says: You knew I was going to watch this movie didn't you? How could I resist? I have watched every single TV movie good or bad (and mostly bad) since the very first movie starring Catherine Oxenberg as Diana back in the day. So I parked myself in front of my telly with a glass of port, and some Stilton cheese. Actually it was a glass of Diet Dr. Pepper and some popcorn but you get the idea. I'm happy to report that "William & Kate" was just as cheesy and horrific. I loved the fact that they claim that the movie is based on 'true events.' Where, on Mars? Apart from the fact that Prince William is in it, and Kate Middleton, nothing in this movie resembles 'true events.' Did the filmmakers not read the myriad of books and articles written about this couple in the past 10 years? Of course not.<br />
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Rather than go through a blow by blow account of this film, I'm just going to pick out some of the cheesiest moments.<br />
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<strong>1) Ian Musgrove shows up at Prince William's dorm room and shoving his CV underneath the door, claiming that he's applying for the position of William's wingman.</strong> <br />
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This is the one scene in the film that I actually wish had happened in real life. It was awesome in its awfulness but pretty ballsy at the same time. Seriously who wouldn't want a friend like that? The filmmakers then ruined it by having William tell his new friends how he tries to trick people by feeding them false information to see if they're loyal. Great now they know your secret, you dumb ass. I can't believe that the real William would reveal something like that after knowing someone for all of 5 minutes.<br />
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<strong>2) Prince William makes a move on Kate Middleton after the fashion show and she rebuffs him with almost a sneer. </strong><br />
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Okay, first of all can we talk about the fact that they didn't even remotely get the dress right that she actually wore that night. Come on, it has to be one of the most iconic images of the 21st century. Someone actually spent almost $70,000 to buy it. How hard could it have been to fashion a replica. Loved how Kate just sashayed down the runway like a professional. <br />
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<strong>3) Kate Middleton sucks up to Prince Charles by telling him how she's read his articles on the environment for "years."</strong><br />
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There's flattery and then there's blatant sucking up, and fake Kate crossed the line in this scene.<br />
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<strong>4). Kate has etiquette lessons after one too many Brittany Spears-like 'crotch shots' in the press</strong>.<br />
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The paparazzi would have loved if this had actually happened. Still why worry about authenticity when you can mime comedy gold out of Kate learning how to curtsy, and getting in and out of limousines.<br />
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<strong>5) Kate and William sneak in and out of each other's bedrooms in the flat that they share with roommates.</strong><br />
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Again more comedy gold to be had. Just the thought of Prince William creeping around on tip-toe into Kate's room was priceless, as was the scene where she hid under the covers when their other roommate came in.<br />
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<strong>6) Kate storms out of William's birthday party when he spends too much time with Jecca Craig and not with her (even though they are supposedly keeping their relationship a secret).</strong><br />
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After being treated to a bit of snobbery at the party by one of their classmates who plays on Kate's insecurities about her background, a miserable Kate storms out with her girlfriends, and then refuses to speak to William for weeks. This is where the timeline gets wonky. Prince William's birthday is June but Kate and William make up while skiing weeks later. Now either we, the viewers, are supposed to believe that she refused to talk to him for months even though they were living together, or somehow they found a ski resort that still has snow in July. However, we now come to the cheesiest scene of the evening.<br />
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<strong>7) William serenades Kate in a bar in Switzerland to win her back.</strong><br />
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I'm telling you this made up for the hour of awfulness that I had to sit through to get to this scene. It was priceless watching faux Wills get his karaoke on. And he was dreadful which make it ten times better. If this had actually happened, the paparazzi would have had a field day. Seriously this would have hit YouTube before the end of the evening.<br />
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<strong>8) Kate and her friends drive in downtown Los Angeles, as the same London street scene goes by like on a loop as they discuss her relationship with William.</strong><br />
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<strong>9) Kate and William break up in his car, and she gets out and goes storming off through the streets of London.</strong><br />
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<strong>10) William comes to get Kate back while she is in the middle of a lake. </strong><br />
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The best part of this scene was when Kate dove into the water to swim back to shore. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if he had dove in at the same time and they had met in the middle. Seriously, this movie was such a steaming pot of fondue why not go all in? After all if Faux Wills can serenade Fake Kate in a bar, it wouldn't be beneath his dignity to swim to her to get her back. After all, he was the one who broke up with her.<br />
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The movie ends obviously with William proposing to Kate in Kenya before the final fade-out smooch. It's almost beside the point to say that Camilla Luddington and Nico Evers-Swindell only bare the faintest of resemblances to Will and Kate, or that I've seen better acting in a high school play. We're not watching it for the acting. Beyond the dreadful script, what struck me about this TV movie was that Fake Kate dresses worse than real Kate. And the scenes of her working at Jigsaw were hysterical. There were three scenes in the film that smacked of any authentic emotion: 1) when Carole Middleton tells Kate not to mope and to show Prince William what he's missing and 2) when Prince William and Prince Charles have an honest conversation about Charles, Camilla and Diana and 3) Prince William in the kitchen cooking at University and mucking it up.<br />
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What's missing? No scenes with Camilla, no Prince William playing polo, no scenes of them traveling together or even having a conversation beyond him changing his major or wanting to fly. We get no sense from this movie as to why William was attracted to Kate beyond seeing her in her underwear. Still despite it's flaws, it was cheesy good fun. I will definitely be watching Hallmark's take on the romance in June. In the interest of blogging.<br />
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A little bit of trivia: Serena Scott Thomas who plays Carole Middleton is not only Kristin Scott Thomas's sister but she also played Princess Diana in a TV movie.<br />
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Some other reviews: <a href="http://www.anglotopia.net/brit-tv/royal-wedding-william-and-kate-the-love-story-lifetime-movie-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Anglotopia+%28Anglotopia%29">Anglotopia</a>, <a href="http://worldofroyaltyblog.com/2011/04/william-kate-tv-movie-a-twitter-review/">World of Royalty</a>, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-13/william-kate-lifetime-movie-8-crazy-scenes/">The Daily Beast</a>, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1377523/Royally-Wedding-film-review-Prince-William-Kate-Middleton-movie-slated-critics.html">The Daily Mail</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/14/william-kate-movie-preview-royal-wedding?INTCMP=SRCH">The Guardian</a>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-9742557931046533592011-04-18T15:41:00.001-04:002011-04-18T16:17:41.312-04:00Royals Behaving Badly: Prince Ernst August of Hanover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYoRjmD7sFhDjaDvzr-bSghRuEw7RR2PAL7cqJlzCI4mrnJbzgF5r0ZirYdg0Z9Z1VpCAEUDVDsP0GFRzGF1cMDngZEKZBCAyY75L2mJpsLsME0flTdbVjKODhDples4eJUtj/s1600/article-1212713-01BD233D0000044D-181_468x575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYoRjmD7sFhDjaDvzr-bSghRuEw7RR2PAL7cqJlzCI4mrnJbzgF5r0ZirYdg0Z9Z1VpCAEUDVDsP0GFRzGF1cMDngZEKZBCAyY75L2mJpsLsME0flTdbVjKODhDples4eJUtj/s320/article-1212713-01BD233D0000044D-181_468x575.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>Twelve years ago this past January, the people of Monaco rejoined that their Princess after years of heartache (a divorce, widowhood, broken relationships) had finally seemed to find love. Her groom was HRH Prince Ernst August, Prince of Hanover, Duke of Brunswick, Prince of Great Britain and Ireland. And none too soon, their daughter Princess Alexandra showed up in July of 1999! The marriage seemed a dream come true, not only was Princess Caroline marrying up (going from Her Serene Highness to Her Royal Highness) but she was also marrying the man that her mother had once thought would make an ideal husband for her headstrong daughter. At the time of the wedding, Princess Caroline's father Prince Rainier declared, "Thank God, at least he is one of us."<br />
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The couple had a rocky start, Prince Ernst was still married to his first wife, Swiss heiress Princess Chantal, who was a good friend of Princess Caroline's. At first the couple claimed just to be friend, even after it was reported that they were seen on holiday together in Thailand and Burma. The stress caused Princess Caroline's hair to fall out, she brought back the turban into fashion during this time. Princess Chantal was incredibly vocal that she considered that Caroline had stabbed her in the back, taking her husband. Not a great way to start off a marriage. Since Prince Ernst at the time was something like 35th in line to the British throne, he had to ask Queen Elizabeth II's permission to marry (Ernst is a direct descendant of Sophia, Electress of Hanover and mother of George I, he's also a first cousin of Prince Philip, Queen Sophia of Spain, and King Constantine of Greece. According to Wikipedia, he could petition the British government to restore his title of Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale). Since Caroline is Catholic, he had to renounce his right to the throne, although his daughter with Caroline, HRH Princess Alexandra is being raised Protestant.<br />
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Things started to go wrong for Ernst when he was spotted publicly urinating on the Turkish Pavilion at the Expo 2000 event in Hanover, which caused a diplomatic incident. The Turkish government accused him of insulting the Turkish people. Clearly he didn't learn from that incident because the tabloid Bild-Zeitun also photographed him urinating outside of a hospital in Austria. Seriously, they do have actual bathrooms in Europe! The next year the Prince, who was rumored to have a drinking problem, was fined over $300,000 and given an eight month suspended sentence for threatening behavior, verbal abuse, and causing bodily harm in 2001, in three seperate incidents. Not very Prince-like behavior. Especially someone who is supposedly worth over $10 billion dollars in property and investments. Even Prince Philip, who has made his share of gaffes over the years would be appalled.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1TrfpcXrX0vRBDb9_RWanT-Y0GanW8iil2lQkCBv6ZRhFJdT_lwd7wBD7rVXnBjswP4EriBkm-DSnuqZ-GLveyAok4Ju_euc0J4v4yG4rvxsbIhlYBM0fDTWloSFKCjGQo1i/s1600/article-1342135-00E7B5901000044C-581_224x495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1TrfpcXrX0vRBDb9_RWanT-Y0GanW8iil2lQkCBv6ZRhFJdT_lwd7wBD7rVXnBjswP4EriBkm-DSnuqZ-GLveyAok4Ju_euc0J4v4yG4rvxsbIhlYBM0fDTWloSFKCjGQo1i/s320/article-1342135-00E7B5901000044C-581_224x495.jpg" width="144" /></a></div>But it wasn't just the violence, which included kicking a female photographer in Austria, and hit a bar owner on a Kenyan holiday island with a pair of brass knuckles (one has to wonder why he was carrying brass knuckles!). The German tabloid Bild accused his family of being Nazis, claiming that Ernst's grandfather had profited by Hitler's plunder of Jewish businesses in the 1930's. The tabloid also claimed that his grandfather had urged his loyalists in Northern German to follow the Fuhrer, and that Ernst's own father had joined the SS (Prince Philip had to deal with this same issue, his older sisters all married German aristocrats who had Nazi ties. None of them were invited to his wedding to the Queen in 1947).<br />
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One has to wonder what Princess Caroline saw in this boorish Prince. He must have some sort of personal charm besides just his title. Reports say that although Prince Caroline loved him, she was getting increasingly disturbed by the dark side of his nature. Friends say that his drinking was exacerbated by the media spotlight that has been trained on the Grimaldis ever since Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier in 1956. 'Unfortunately, Ernst found living in teh Grimaldi spotlight almost impossible to bear," says one of his circle. "He's become obsessed with his privacy and his drinking just got worse." In 2004, he missed the wedding ceremony of Prince Felipe of Spain because he'd been partying so hard the night before. He only turned up later during the reception. How much worse became apparent when the Prince ended up in the hospital in 2005 suffering from acute pancreatitis. He was put into a medically induced coma to help his body recuperate. At the same time, Prince Rainier died.<br />
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After Ernst came out of the coma, things seemed to have settled down between the couple, but the first signs of a problem occurred when it was noted that they only appeared together in public 3 times in 2009. By that Christmas, Caroline was off skiing, and Ernst was photographed in Thailand in a compromising position with an unidentified woman. But Caroline had already moved out of their Fontainebleu home in September of that year, moving back to Monaco with their daughter Princess Alexandra while Ernst was off celebrating the 40th anniversary of Colonel Khaddafi's reign in Libya (nice friends he has!). A spokesperson in Monaco told reporters that the Palace had no comment. Still, people speculated it was only a matter of time before Princess Caroline filed for divorce from her wayward husband who had done nothing but embarass her during the 12 years of their marriage. <br />
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Last fall when Ernst was spotted with a 22 year old former nightclub dancer named Simona from Romania who models for brothels in Austria in northern Italy, there was still no formal declaration of seperation or divorce. Royal watchers believe that the couple have come to an 'understanding', that they are both free to live seperate lives but no divorce. That might seem a little strange, particularly in America where celebrities get divorced after only a few months, but a divorce would mean that Ernst would have to pay Caroline a significan chunk of change. Call me madcap, but Prince Ernst doesn't look like someone who finds it easy to part with a farthing. For Caroline, a divorce would make her a three time loser at love. She's already had one divorce, and been widowed once (although there is speculation that if Stephano Casiraghi had lived, there might have been a second divorce). Her sister Stephanie has already been married and divorced twice, and had a child out wedlock. Her brother is finally getting married at the age of 53, after having two illegtimate children. By all accounts Caroline doesn't want to add to the list. Nor does she want to add credence to the myth that the Grimaldi's are cursed when it comes to love.<br />
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Of course, who knows what the future holds? If Ernst continues to be a liability ro an embarassment, Caroline may just have to cut the marital chord.<br />
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<em><strong>Sources: Vanity Fair (10/2/09), People (1/7/10), Daily Mail (4/16/05, 10/28/10)</strong></em>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-7480653860932886222011-04-16T07:00:00.050-04:002011-04-16T07:00:05.612-04:00Royal Wedding: Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Tatiana Blatnik<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbvZT2Rd01QnPZuIBe5AUFLZ8muT9BYnVs6WXDjqQODFY3iW_AGBFSOFVhkpDg1wo_5lXIn97DCjvjnxEUxvUaNpbNL4D_vPZBeycopWiOOCVMiNXbB4m49LSbRN9PjfdowDm/s1600/Tatiana_Blatnik_and_Prince_Nikolaos-Greek-Royal-Wedding_jpg_e_6f0ff81c0bf36185e349a4543d5345a5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbvZT2Rd01QnPZuIBe5AUFLZ8muT9BYnVs6WXDjqQODFY3iW_AGBFSOFVhkpDg1wo_5lXIn97DCjvjnxEUxvUaNpbNL4D_vPZBeycopWiOOCVMiNXbB4m49LSbRN9PjfdowDm/s320/Tatiana_Blatnik_and_Prince_Nikolaos-Greek-Royal-Wedding_jpg_e_6f0ff81c0bf36185e349a4543d5345a5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Groom: Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark<br />
Bride: Tatiana Blatnik<br />
Date: August 25, 2010<br />
Where: The Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos, Spetses, Greece<br />
Guests: 380, including Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias, Prince Phillipe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.<br />
Wedding Gown: Angel Sanchezwith a chantilly lace overlay, teamed with a matching bolero and full-length veil. Made from 40 metres of French Chantilly lace, the strapless dress featured a moulded bodice that showed off her slender waist, before falling to her feet and finishing in a sweeping train. Completing the regal yet feminine look was a pair of diamond drop earrings and the antique corsage tiara, lent by her new mother-in-law (Tatiana's sister-in-law Princess Pavlos wore the same tiara at her wedding in 1995).<br />
Engagement: December 2009, proposed in Greece on a boat.<br />
His parents: King Constantine and Queen Anne Marie of Greece and Denmark<br />
Her parents: Ladislao Blatnik (deceased) and Blanche Bierlain, stepfather Attilio Brillembourg<br />
Engagement Ring: stunning engagement ring, topped with a sapphire that was given to Nikolaos by his mother, who received it from her own parents, King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid of Denmark. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCdcQrvVMvP41meXOAG4payHjxOkqfrwZns0kRu3sJ4Kjyi8VjQmI1C3O4SwLm-tM548wsmCQgi2VfkyYrimXumArsTxBMy0Pc8MScQOEPfy3bPBfQLM81ZNmGlvqwLJdIT5P/s1600/Wed11_jpg_e_895f0aedb4081a2fc0b39d83b40bf68b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCdcQrvVMvP41meXOAG4payHjxOkqfrwZns0kRu3sJ4Kjyi8VjQmI1C3O4SwLm-tM548wsmCQgi2VfkyYrimXumArsTxBMy0Pc8MScQOEPfy3bPBfQLM81ZNmGlvqwLJdIT5P/s320/Wed11_jpg_e_895f0aedb4081a2fc0b39d83b40bf68b.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEHMWYadkddeCJRV-5QlmwDfixi7y8m6ZrC82SMwfnqQqaVFLe90QSf-Lun3r87uwroS4Bj7LQzY4vI_wNc7g2bfhOG3CkmvELaX1QJSf76MalQ5I6MOgxEM0gUWU7_GSi-35/s1600/greek-wedding-ceremony-1-z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEHMWYadkddeCJRV-5QlmwDfixi7y8m6ZrC82SMwfnqQqaVFLe90QSf-Lun3r87uwroS4Bj7LQzY4vI_wNc7g2bfhOG3CkmvELaX1QJSf76MalQ5I6MOgxEM0gUWU7_GSi-35/s320/greek-wedding-ceremony-1-z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNtd_0YkLye-m36aO2JcSKVf4ua0qSigMhe1RZ4ZnPJCsujLEysj34uRCzsUXv18q_0PmpMVrse_MzUZVCBFHcQeZNETSVcPB5XcqqdOo4_Mhi2fT-iRnz0El06iBsPa9Yeny/s1600/slide_9995_131434_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNtd_0YkLye-m36aO2JcSKVf4ua0qSigMhe1RZ4ZnPJCsujLEysj34uRCzsUXv18q_0PmpMVrse_MzUZVCBFHcQeZNETSVcPB5XcqqdOo4_Mhi2fT-iRnz0El06iBsPa9Yeny/s320/slide_9995_131434_large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The wedding of HRH Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark to Tatiana Blatnik was an international affair with guests coming to the island from all over the world. It was the first royal wedding to be held in Greece since the Prince's parents were married in the 1960's, and would have been all most impossible 15 years ago. It wasn't until 1992 that the family was actually allowed to travel in Greece freely. Prince Nikolaos was born in Rome after the family was forced into exile and never set foot in Greece until 1981 when the family were allowed to return for his grandmother's funeral. Despite being brought up in England, Prince Nikolaos and his brothers and sisters grew up speaking Greek as well as English and Spanish (King Constantine's sister Sophia is married to King Juan Carlos of Spain). He went to Brown University where he studied International Relations, and Sandhurst Military College (alma mater of Princes William and Harry). Tall, and good-looking with slicked back dark hair, and an English accent tinged with Greek, he was one of the most sought after bachelors in the world.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqn68CLOGDPaWcg0yfQ3Ar4IwRL08FXV-kuV85_GW05QnF9XQDbS83MIec1sX7wZRrHGhKX9gFQNzjBD5CosgkONVlGsi-TBQ-Kpn5LmjprvHjraH9pdVZH38zP9tDL2TTJV3/s1600/Wed21_jpg_e_723d633edd5bb7d527f5b3714f765292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqn68CLOGDPaWcg0yfQ3Ar4IwRL08FXV-kuV85_GW05QnF9XQDbS83MIec1sX7wZRrHGhKX9gFQNzjBD5CosgkONVlGsi-TBQ-Kpn5LmjprvHjraH9pdVZH38zP9tDL2TTJV3/s320/Wed21_jpg_e_723d633edd5bb7d527f5b3714f765292.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">His 29 year old bride, Tatiana Blatnik was born in Venezuela to a Slovenian father and a German mother, and grew up in Switzerland. There was a rumor going around on the Internet that she was related to an American politician but that has proved to be false. Gorgeous, standing almost 6ft tall, the blonde beauty met her future husband in Gstaad at a club. It turned out that he was friends with her older brother Boris, but didn't recognize her since hadn't see her since she was a child. According to the March issue of Vanity Fair Espana, he turned to Boris and siad "How are you letting of that girl, who is the fairest of all?" to which Boris replied, "Dude, that's my sister," (or something like that!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pt5NLWeG7Xk3lvtoM4r_xOdfP5q1rUTNJF1BMZEqNQsi16A04Xz-aeEFC7-xObWJm0hN_tazJ50wOjNfAZAXo4W5i8vneHmvmZZqFpggFAunG9vzBPJ7e-pHj5alHSSuyITm/s1600/vf_31g_2689_276x369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pt5NLWeG7Xk3lvtoM4r_xOdfP5q1rUTNJF1BMZEqNQsi16A04Xz-aeEFC7-xObWJm0hN_tazJ50wOjNfAZAXo4W5i8vneHmvmZZqFpggFAunG9vzBPJ7e-pHj5alHSSuyITm/s320/vf_31g_2689_276x369.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tatiana was 20 at the time and studying sociology at Georgetown, but the Prince persisted with flowers, calls, invitations. The Prince was living in London and it was almost two years before the two finally started dating. "His background is quite traditional and courted me like old times. It took more than a year to decide but from 2003 to our wedding we were never seperated by more than 10 days.) When they first started dating, the Prince was living in London at The Blake Hotel. The new Princess loves joking, cooking and hiking and is described by friends as 'funny, modest, and can be really clueless." Apparently she once sat next to Prince Andrew at a dinner and had no idea who he was!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Prince was determined to have the wedding in Greece, although Tatiana apparently had Dr. Zhivago fantasies of horse drawn sleds. Greek to the core, the Prince got his wish. The happy couple gleefully mixed royalty with their commoner friends at the reception. Despite her new title of HRH*, Tatiana says "I do not feel like a Princess. I feel like I have married a Prince with a title. Well, actually yes, he is my prince, but nothing more." The Princess, who worked as an event planner for Diane von Furstenberg before the wedding, has continued as a consultant for the brand while the Prince works for his father and brother.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>Sources: Hello Magazine, Vanity Fair (Espana)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><em>* Although Greece now longer has a monarchy, the Greek royal family are also Princes of Denmark due to the fact that the brother of Queen Alexandra (born Alexandra of Denmark) of England was offered the throne of Greece. Prince Philip is also related to both the Greek and Danish royal houses.</em></div>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-19311690496999687162011-04-15T11:32:00.000-04:002011-04-15T11:32:14.798-04:00Royal Sister-in-Law: A Look at Pippa Middleton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoyhinSaQGu8dT0SGHsHhhXj6QTjCstgIMVSXi-GPjItrH7bgEqeCbu7-TG0PodbhIUtjiJ4aD0m7554k9GPlhH4gjNmp9QCMIUUmt5lDeTLOsQBjwevLh2CcrekiIB4SxqTV/s1600/article-1293948-0A61377C000005DC-421_233x530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoyhinSaQGu8dT0SGHsHhhXj6QTjCstgIMVSXi-GPjItrH7bgEqeCbu7-TG0PodbhIUtjiJ4aD0m7554k9GPlhH4gjNmp9QCMIUUmt5lDeTLOsQBjwevLh2CcrekiIB4SxqTV/s320/article-1293948-0A61377C000005DC-421_233x530.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>On April 29, 2011 all eyes will be on the bride, as Catherine Middleton walks down the aisle to become HRH Princess William of Wales (unless the Queen makes William a Duke or decides that she will be known as Princess Catherine), but by her side will be the woman who some are calling the most eligible singleton in Britain. No one was surprised when it was announced that Kate’s younger sister Pippa, 27, would be her maid of honor. The two sisters are incredibly close, and Pippa is widely tipped to become her sister’s lady-in-waiting. The two women have made a formidable double act on the London social scene over the several years. Some snobs, who are not quite so enamored, have dubbed them the ‘wisteria sisters’ (highly decorative, terribly fragrant and with a ferocious ability to climb). Ouch! The closest double act America has would probably be Jacqueline and Lee Bouvier. Jacqueline married the closest thing America has to royalty when she married Jack Kennedy in 1983, and Lee married actual royalty when she married Prince Stanislaus Radziwill. But the two sisters are more akin to the Miller sisters who took center stage in the 1990’s when middle sister Marie Chantal bagged Prince Pavlos of Greece, and her two sisters Pia and Alexandra bagged a Getty and Alexander von Furstenberg respectively.<br />
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So who is Pippa Middleton exactly? She was born Philippa Charlotte Middleton on September 6, 1983. Like her sister, Pippa attended first Downe House School and then Marlborough, the tony boarding school where they both started to make the right connections. Friends say that while Kate and Pippa were close, they were also incredibly competitive which has continued to this day. ‘Kate was jealous of Pippa – in fact, I think Kate feared being eclipsed by her a bit,’ a friend told the Daily Mail in July of last year. ‘The two sisters are close, but there was always a sense of rivalry between them. Probably still is.” Growing up, Pippa was considered the more outgoing, sassier, and prettier of the two sisters. It wasn’t until Marlborough that Kate began to come out of her shell, turning into the confident and elegant woman that Prince William fell in love with.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIz6O4U80O5U7iqcVBe14FrMJYpheEgJSZNwPnyOet_7Gc-HfIp4__6F2BfvGbFpvaEXmX_wE6Esopb5-FYQ2yxHFNMeNqKLpldApNRXcNPBQt-mjwFnhb7YNbNm2OHaFOeau/s1600/article-1358438-0D428039000005DC-635_468x790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIz6O4U80O5U7iqcVBe14FrMJYpheEgJSZNwPnyOet_7Gc-HfIp4__6F2BfvGbFpvaEXmX_wE6Esopb5-FYQ2yxHFNMeNqKLpldApNRXcNPBQt-mjwFnhb7YNbNm2OHaFOeau/s320/article-1358438-0D428039000005DC-635_468x790.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>Well, there is no chance of Pippa eclipsing her sister now that Kate has accomplished the get of the century, marrying the second in line to the throne! Still Pippa was voted in 2008 as top of Tatler magazine’s most eligible bachelor list, and there is no reason that when she does marry, she shouldn’t bag someone at the top of the heap. By the time Pippa arrived at college (Edinburg University), she was already cultivating the right people. At Edinburgh, she cultivated the country set, people who go to each other’s country houses for the weekend, rather than the fast crowd who headed to London every weekend to party. By her final year, she could count sons of two Dukes as her flat mates (George Percy, heir to the Duke of Northumberland, and Lord Ted Innes-Ker, the second son of the Duke of Roxburghe). According to her frenemies, Pippa is one of those charming people who are constantly looking over your shoulder to see if someone more important was in the room. She is also considered the prettier and sexier of the two sisters. While Kate looks like fun and a good laugh, Pippa is the one in the slinky dresses with the come hither look.<br />
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While Kate played the waiting game with Prince William, Pippa plunged into the London social scene. Moving into the £850,000 Chelsea flat with her sister, she took a job with an events planner. Soon invitations to fashion shows and launch parties filled her mailbox. But it wasn’t all parties and premieres. Pippa took her role as gatekeeper for her sister seriously, booking restaurants for Kate and William and sorting through their invites, sort of an unofficial social secretary. There are two people that Kate trusts implicitly, her mother and her sister. Neither of them has let her down during the years of her relationship with William.<br />
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Still while her sister has found her Prince, Pippa is still looking for hers. She’s had a long-term relationship with Jonathan ‘J.J.’ Jardine Patterson, heir to Hong Kong Jardine Matheson (think James Clavell’s Noble House), Scottish aristocrat Bill More Nesbit, diamond heir Simon Youngman, nightclub entrepreneur Charlie Gilkes, and a close friend of William and Kate’s, Guy Pelly. Currently she’s dating former cricket player Alexander Guy Rushworth Loudon, and according to royal reporter Katie Nicholls the relationship is serious. Rushworth works in finance, he’s dashingly handsome, and his family have a stately pile in Kent called Olantigh.<br />
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Currently Pippa divides her time between the events company Table Talk and editing ‘The Party Times,” the newsletter for her parents company. If royal insiders are correct, and Pippa does become her sister’s lady-in-waiting, her job at Table Talk will have to go. Her days will be filled with helping her sister with her calendar, and following her around to royal engagements, making sure to keep her on schedule. “Pippa is a great networker, like her mother,” says a friend. No doubt those skills will come in handy in the years ahead.<br />
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<em>Sources: Vanity Fair, Daily Mail, The Telegraph</em>Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-17926548496927947482011-04-14T12:45:00.007-04:002011-04-14T14:35:52.758-04:00The Other Royal Wedding: Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3i-VkpBVCz8PdnnAY28dmQrsybRUYQwaNuxDND9i2uRbFkVBq13Oz44MLp_sWF-yc8HZmtAZkEiS102GGp3htMhvrUoVcigNJ8u9okLYL3ZJKbY-qzeNkT2SG8iDDAj9KxNp/s1600/2011-01-17-zaramike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw3i-VkpBVCz8PdnnAY28dmQrsybRUYQwaNuxDND9i2uRbFkVBq13Oz44MLp_sWF-yc8HZmtAZkEiS102GGp3htMhvrUoVcigNJ8u9okLYL3ZJKbY-qzeNkT2SG8iDDAj9KxNp/s320/2011-01-17-zaramike.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With so much attention focused on the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, it’s easy to forget that the Queen has another grandchild who is getting married this summer. Perhaps that is on purpose given the low key lifestyle of Zara Phillips and her fiancé, Mike Tindall. As royal watchers know, William is not the first of the Queen’s grandchildren to get married. Peter Phillips married first almost three years ago when he married Canadian Autumn Kelly. Now this summer it will be his sister’s turn. While Peter married at Windsor Castle, Zara surprised many by choosing Edinburgh for her wedding instead of more expected sites like her home county of Gloucestershire or Hampton Court where Lord Frederick Windsor was married.<br />
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The happy couple, who were introduced by Prince Harry in a bar in 2003 during the Rugby World Cup in Sydney, has been dating for seven years. They were first spotted at the swank Met Bar in London, although they just claimed to be friends, and then on a date at the Badminton Horse Trials before making their relationship public. Before meeting the 6’2” 224 plays <span style="color: #0645ad;">outside centre </span>for <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://www.blogger.com/wiki/Gloucester_RFC" title="Gloucester RFC"><span style="color: #0645ad;">Gloucester Rugby</span></a> who she calls a ‘gentle giant,’ Zara had been involved in a tempestuous four year relationship with jockey Richard Johnson. Since meeting Tindall, the pair have settled down first on a rent free cottage on her mother’s Gatcombe estate but moved into a £800,000 three-story Georgian house in April 2009.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kHxqWa6jm9VywI8KdKOW3p46r6oiEoyK8lR-uBtiBNlALzNlCKL96FKocO98AakxAZo1fTiRxuCZRyE0o2xsQlzJVASBKYzuYXFl6mvpk7ycNpLZNN1MbEpl9AycIyQlTXZN/s1600/zara-mike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9kHxqWa6jm9VywI8KdKOW3p46r6oiEoyK8lR-uBtiBNlALzNlCKL96FKocO98AakxAZo1fTiRxuCZRyE0o2xsQlzJVASBKYzuYXFl6mvpk7ycNpLZNN1MbEpl9AycIyQlTXZN/s1600/zara-mike.jpg" /></a></div>At first glance, Tindall seems like an unlikely choice for a royal son-in-law. Tindall is from Leeds in Yorkshire, he served fish and chips from a van while at school. He also has 2 criminal convictions for drunk driving, the second led to him losing his license for three years and paying a fine of £500. Tindall, 32, has claimed that it was his "pure charm" that won her heart. Princess Anne has been adamant since her children’s birth that they are not royal; they just happen to have a Queen for a grandmother. They get no money from the civil list and have no royal duties. Considered a bit of a wild child, Zara famously pierced her tongue, and is known for her short skirts and fab tastes in hats. .Although 12th in line for the throne, Zara is more concerned with making the Olympic team in 2012. <br />
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It was sport that brought them together. They seem to have appreciation for the trials and tribulations of their chosen sports. Tindall is often seen at Zara’s events, and she is a regular at his rugby matches. Zara is one of Britain's top equestrians and a former world three-day Eventing champion. Her fiancé, who plays for club side Gloucester, has been capped more than 60 times by his country and was part of the England team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Speaking to HELLO! Magazine last year, Mike, said "I don’t think it’s about whether we will get married but when. There's no doubt that I love Zara but it has to be the right time…And yes it probably will be a white wedding, although sometimes I can see the attraction of sneaking away without telling anyone." Reflecting on their relationship, "I just really liked her. It wasn't love at first sight - I wasn't looking for romance. But, naturally, I wasn't unmoved by her. She is a stunning woman. There was something there." <br />
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According to the Daily Mail, Zara said back in 2008, “I’m old-fashioned. I think they should ask you. Everyone at the rugby club seems to be getting married and having babies so they keeping asking me, ‘What about you?”<br />
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Zara and Mike have decided to get married in Scotland this summer on July 30th. This won’t be the first royal wedding north of the border. Princess Anne had her second wedding to now Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence in 1992 at a church near Balmoral. That decision had more to do with The Church of Scotland allowing divorced people to remarry in the church, while the Church of England does not. Sources say Zara and Mike are under pressure not to follow in her brother’s footsteps by selling the rights to the wedding to a tabloid like Hello!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGHyuRoTBTVkC8y2OcgqNeU_57PwZY1uaAU0IfmJBxLfe24rafKU7nVd8diPQi5chUsut8DVsLZ7LfjfGtH9-PQ4yQIR1g6Nnt0dlsp40ZOs-SLnyZWkC6IU9Wwu06DIgv3Sr/s1600/canongate---z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoGHyuRoTBTVkC8y2OcgqNeU_57PwZY1uaAU0IfmJBxLfe24rafKU7nVd8diPQi5chUsut8DVsLZ7LfjfGtH9-PQ4yQIR1g6Nnt0dlsp40ZOs-SLnyZWkC6IU9Wwu06DIgv3Sr/s320/canongate---z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Marrying in Scotland is in keeping with the couple’s low key approach. While Kate and William had a formal press conference to announce their engagement, Zara and Mike wore jeans and winter coats for their informal announcement in December. The church, Canongate Kirk, is where the Queen worships when she is in town. Palace sources day that the wedding will be a private affair with the costs covered by the families. It has been announced that It has also emerged that Tindall's best man will be fellow rugby player Iain Balshaw, who was part of England's rugby World Cup-winning squad. The wedding reception will be held at The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland (which she rarely uses). It is also the palace where Mary Queen of Scot’s private secretary David Rizzio was famously murdered.<br />
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The busy couple has postponed plans for a honeymoon due to their careers and might even put it off until next year. Tindall has confirmed he intends to play rugby for England just a week after the couple get married, meaning he has to be back in training two days after the ceremony. Zara, meanwhile, will compete at the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park, the same weekend.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-36873979048444392852011-04-13T12:24:00.000-04:002012-10-26T17:08:15.239-04:00Royal Bachelor: Prince Carl Philip of Sweden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkrH5FfoGzz071-P59ieuekgENgKIhM2Z5A1SKdyC_mBcGfTigwPrWZ3_cN0BGWsBuPVsVfIf_yTMcN_OfleIKpXBbxO3aM5m-eiPiCkOphikAJMmZenhMiS8pg4rEW_SX56-/s1600/210px-Royal_Wedding_Stockholm_2010-Konserthuset-426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkrH5FfoGzz071-P59ieuekgENgKIhM2Z5A1SKdyC_mBcGfTigwPrWZ3_cN0BGWsBuPVsVfIf_yTMcN_OfleIKpXBbxO3aM5m-eiPiCkOphikAJMmZenhMiS8pg4rEW_SX56-/s1600/210px-Royal_Wedding_Stockholm_2010-Konserthuset-426.jpg" /></a></div>
Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Varmland<br />
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Full name: Carl Philip Edmund Bertil<br />
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Born: May 13, 1979 (making him a Taurus)<br />
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Hair: Dark Brown<br />
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Eyes: Brown<br />
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Age: 31<br />
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Background: Carl Philip is the only son of King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, but prepare yourself to be disappointed if you are imagining yourself as his Queen; his big sister Victoria is next in line to the throne. As well as Victoria, he's also got another sister, Madeleine, which means he's definitely in touch with his feminine side. With Prince William out of circulation, Prince Carl Philip ranks after Prince Harry and Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg as one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. He was #9 on the Forbes Top 20 Hot Royals List in 2010. Don’t worry ladies, although he’s no longer heir to the throne, there’s still plenty of palaces and jewels to go around.<br />
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With a degree in graphic design from the Rhode Island School of Design, this Swedish meatball (you know I had to do it!) is artsy and creative. He has designed his own range of cutlery as well as the cover for a CD of the music of Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker which was released to honor his mother’s 60th birthday. Professionally, he's a lieutenant in the army, a captain in the Naval Reserve (meaning he looks good in a uniform). He also undertakes royal duties on behalf of his father, King Carl XVI Gustaf. Currently, he’s studying agriculture and forestry at Prince Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Alnarp.<br />
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“He comes across as the black sheep of the family,” a royal watcher told The Daily Telegraph last year. “Now that he is no longer next in line for the throne, he does his own thing. He’s a racing car driver and a bit of a wild child.”<br />
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Hobbies: avid skier, soccer player, swimmer and car racer. He's also a bit of an adrenaline junkie, thanks to a passion for both winter sports and motor racing. In 2003, he completed the historic Swedish ‘Vasaloppet,” the longest cross-country ski race in the world. So if you don’t ski, you might want to take lessons. Waiting in the ski lodge with a couple of hot toddies is not going to cut it with this Prince.<br />
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Past relationships: He's recently split up with his girlfriend of 10 years, PR executive Emma Pernald and is now dating underwear model Sofia Hellqvist who he met back in 2008. (That's Sofia on the left. Hmm, he appears to like brunettes!) His relationship with Hellqvist has apparently shocked even the unshockable Swedes. Hellqvist became famous or infamous when she posed naked with only a python for company. She’s also appeared in the Swedish version of the reality TV show ‘Paradise Hotel,’ which consisted of fights, lies, sex, orgies and alcohol. She’s even shared a kiss with American porn star Jenna Jameson. Needless to say, the Palace is not amused. No doubt they would be happy to see their son settled with someone more suitable and clothed. Recently the couple moved into together, but despair not ladies, this could just be a phase.<br />
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To catch a Prince: Anyone wanting to be his princess will have to get used to living in Sweden, land of Abba, Ace of Base, Ikea and Strindberg. Not to mention Absolut Vodka. Being multi-lingual would also help; like most European royals Carl Philip is multi-lingual, speaking English, French as well as his native Swedish. One criticism of Crown Princess Victoria's husband, Prince Daniel was that he had no small talk or knowledge of history. Brushing up on the royal houses of Europe and how everyone is related to each other would be a good idea (hint: it all goes back to Queen Victoria) for any potential princess. Watching past seasons of Top Gear would probably be a good idea as well. Being able to change a flat tire and a carburator and then change into an evening gown and a tiara would all be top skills for Carl's future princess.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10581466.post-57764753704860227792011-04-12T13:13:00.003-04:002011-04-12T13:53:52.612-04:00How to Bag A Prince<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI4jWPxr5butpcVbfn17cvDAP_imvZJfRDdqyjC5XrUbAmofLtND_TjgzCeJTG4eAHXGXTabkHv2fogeqmFHUSsXlFquGUHZupiC35C4-YSetrm7pKhrT3dc04Ovp_sZ1Pk6n/s1600/Harry_of_Wales_2008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicI4jWPxr5butpcVbfn17cvDAP_imvZJfRDdqyjC5XrUbAmofLtND_TjgzCeJTG4eAHXGXTabkHv2fogeqmFHUSsXlFquGUHZupiC35C4-YSetrm7pKhrT3dc04Ovp_sZ1Pk6n/s1600/Harry_of_Wales_2008.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2011/03/20/invasion-of-the-harry-hunters.html">Newsweek </a>magazine recently published an article called 'Invasion of the Harry Hunters' about young American women who have set out to capture Prince Harry's heart, hoping to become Princess Henry or whatever dukedom the Queen sees fit to give him. The article details the lengths that these women are going to, hanging out in his favorite bars, reading gossip blogs, magazines like <em>Royalty Monthly</em> and <em>Majesty </em>like they are prepping for their final exams. The Brits have even given them a nickname, calling them the 'Throne Rangers.' While I hate to rain on anyone's parade or make light of someone's dreams, I have to ask myself if this is really likely to work?</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Think about it for a second, out of all the women who sent off applications to St. Andrew's, hoping to capture Prince William, who did he eventually end up with? A young woman who had the same major as he did, and who just happened to end up living in the same residence hall. Kate Middleton didn't set out to capture Prince William, it just happened. When Prince Frederik of Denmark met his future wife Mary Donaldson in a pub in Sydney during the Olympics, she didn't even know who he was. Neither did Crown Princess Maxima when she met Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in Spain.<br />
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And let's not forget that Chelsy Davy is still in the picture and she has a long history with Harry. He doesn't seem ready to let go of her yet. I have a feeling that Harry probably has quite the bullsh*t detector, he can probably smell these young women a mile off, as can his friends. One of the women in the article is actually rather smart, she's decided that if she can't bag a royal prince, she might as well bag a peer of the realm, and at least have a chance at being invited to the next royal wedding! A stately pile and family jewels is just as good as being a princess in Britain, and you don't have the pesky paparazzi following your every move.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>But if one is determined to bag Prince Harry, instead of hanging out in his favorite bars, why not get involved with the charities that he supports? This way one is killing two birds with one stone, you are showing Harry that you care about the things that he does, as well as actually doing something productive as well as Princess-like. Check out <a href="http://hrhprincesspalace.blogspot.com/2009/12/how-to-become-princess.html">Princess Palace</a> for other ways to bag a royal husband.Elizabeth Kerri Mahonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07763642809052430107noreply@blogger.com0