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Where you can meet the queen and the bishop. Market, supermarket, park: where to face the monarch

VIVAT, QUEEN! Dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Elizabeth II.

queen elizabeth ii

On April 21, 2016, the oldest monarch of Europe, Elizabeth II, turned 90 years old. Her Majesty not only embodies the traditions of the United Kingdom, but also takes an active part in the fate of the country. Rumors about the abdication of Elizabeth II of the throne arise with enviable frequency, but few of the subjects can imagine Britain without its queen.

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, was born April 21, 1926. The girl was named after her mother Elizabeth, grandmother Maria and great-grandmother Alexandra.

Duke of York with eldest daughter Elizabeth

the future Queen Elizabeth II is pictured with the Queen Mother and her younger sister Princess Margaret in 1939. The princess died in 2002 at the age of 71.

sisters Elizabeth and Margaret

At the time of her birth, Elizabeth was third in line to the throne - after her uncle Edward, the future King Edward VIII, and father Prince Albert, the future George VI. At that time, no one thought about her possible ascension to the throne.

Elizabeth with parents

Elizabeth with her beloved animals

However, the fate of the future queen was different. Her uncle Edward, who spent only 10 months on the throne from January 20 to December 11, 1936, wanted to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson. In addition to the fact that his chosen one had a bad reputation in high society, she also expressed open sympathy for Nazi Germany.

sisters Elizabeth and Margaret with their parents

The British government could not approve such a dubious marriage, to which Edward stated: "I found it impossible to fulfill the duties of the king without the help and support of the woman I love." After that, he abdicated in favor of his brother Prince Albert, father of Elizabeth, the future King George VI.

Princess Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace Park

princess elizabeth

When the news came that George VI had ascended the throne, his youngest daughter Princess Margaret sympathized with her older sister Elizabeth: “Does this mean you will become queen?! Poor thing!" However, young Lilibet, as she was called in childhood, did not take these words seriously.

In the photo, Princess Elizabeth (right) with her younger sister Margaret

Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" and was trained as an ambulance driver, receiving the military rank of lieutenant.

When Elizabeth was 13 years old, the Second World War began. On October 13, 1940, she made her first radio address with an appeal of support to children affected by the disasters of the war. During World War II, Elizabeth joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Corps, where she acted as an auto mechanic and truck driver. It is worth noting that the queen still has a passion for cars and is well versed in mechanics.

Elizabeth with her fiancé Philip Mountbatten

After the war, when Elizabeth was 21 years old, she married 26-year-old British Navy officer Philip Mountbatten. The couple met during his college days. Young people corresponded for a long time, and in 1946 Philip asked the king for permission to marry.

Despite the fact that Elizabeth fell in love with Philip almost at first sight and immediately announced that she would marry him, the family of the future queen was categorically against it. The catch was that Philip, although he was formally the prince of Greece, but his father Andrew left his son neither a fortune nor land holdings - nothing but a pedigree and a signet ring, which the duke still wears. Elizabeth, however, persuaded her father to give permission for the marriage. Philip converted from Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, renounced the title of Greek prince and accepted British citizenship.

Marriage of Queen Elizabeth II to Prince Philip in 1947

Philip is Elizabeth's fourth cousin through her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. He is also a descendant of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, and his mother was the niece of the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, wife of Nicholas II.

The marriage of Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh took place at Westminster Abbey on November 20, 1947. The ceremony was attended by two thousand guests. The wedding cake was nine feet high and featured the heraldic insignia of both families, the monograms of the newlyweds, sugar figurines, regimental and naval badges. The cake was cut with a sword given to Philip by his father-in-law, George VI.

the cake is 9 feet high, had 4 tiers and weighed as much as 250 kilograms

On the wedding day, Philip gave his bride an elegant silver cosmetic bag, which she still carries with her in her purse. The engagement ring of Elizabeth II was made by Philip Antrobus Ltd using diamonds from the diadem of Prince Philip's mother.

official coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953

On February 6, 1952, King George VI died after a long illness. And on June 2, 1953, the official coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place. It was the first televised coronation of a British monarch. According to the data, 27 million viewers watched the ceremony, 11 million listened to it on the radio.

The Queen with her six ladies-in-waiting
From left to right: Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote -Drummond-Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van Tempest-Stuart (now Hon. Lady Rayne)

Even the harshest critics cannot blame the queen for neglecting her duties. Once, Elizabeth II gently hinted at her wealth of experience, saying that her lifetime had "the pleasant duty of dealing with 12 prime ministers and signing 3.5 thousand laws."

Indeed, during the reign of Elizabeth II, 12 British prime ministers have changed - from Winston Churchill to David Cameron, 12 American presidents - from Truman to Barack Obama, seven popes - from Pius XII to Francis. Tony Blair, ex-Prime Minister of Great Britain, was born during the reign of the Queen. The first time Queen Elizabeth II saw Tony was when he and her son Edward played rabbits in a school play.

Although the Queen is not involved in government decision-making, the Prime Minister of Great Britain meets with her face to face every week to discuss the main issues of the political and economic life of the country.

British Queen Elizabeth II spoke at the opening ceremony
regular session of Parliament with a speech from the throne

Despite her advanced age, the Queen leads a very active life. Her schedule is scheduled by the minute. At exactly 7:30 they bring her breakfast. At 10.00, Elizabeth II begins her duties and finishes work around 23.00. In the morning, Her Majesty holds meetings with ambassadors, bishops, judges - each lasts no more than 15 minutes. In the evening he receives the Prime Minister and looks through official papers. At the end of the day, she attends exhibitions, concerts and other events.

Vladimir Putin, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Elizabeth II with her husband Philip the Duke of Edinburgh before a gala dinner as part of the G8 summit in Gleneagles

Elizabeth II has enormous influence in the international arena. In 16 countries, the British Queen is officially considered the head of state, where governors-general rule on her behalf. Elizabeth II has the right to appoint and remove them from office. At the same time, the queen herself says that her title means nothing, the real power is in the hands of the people, and she is only a tribute to tradition, a kind of symbol of power.

Obama's London visit ends with an official royal banquet at Buckingham Palace.

Since her ascension to the throne in 1952, Queen Elizabeth II has delivered her Christmas speech every year. The only exception was 1969, when a documentary about the British royal family was shown instead of a Christmas address. Also, Elizabeth II is actively involved in charity and social activities. The Queen of England is a trustee of more than 600 different public and charitable organizations.

More often than Elizabeth II in the UK, perhaps, no one travels. In 1954, Her Majesty became the first monarch to circumnavigate the world in a six-month tour.

During the reign of Elizabeth II, the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations.

In 2015, Queen Elizabeth II set the absolute record for the longest stay on the throne - 63 years and 217 days. Before that, the oldest monarch of Great Britain was her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

As for Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, he was never crowned. Under British law, the husband of a reigning queen does not become king, but remains a prince consort. Nevertheless, he was the first to swear allegiance to Elizabeth II. “I, Philip, become your vassal in body and soul; I swear to serve you faithfully until the end of my days, protecting you from any enemies. God help me,” he said on the day of the coronation.

From the first days of Her Majesty's reign, Philip really accompanied her on all trips and attended protocol events. True, the prince more than once got into situations for which his wife had to blush deeply. So in New Guinea, Philip asked a passerby: “Listen, my dear, how have you not been eaten here yet?” In China, addressing an English tourist, he casually remarked: "Look, do not stay here for a long time, otherwise your eyes will narrow." And in Paraguay, at a meeting with the bloody dictator Stroessner, Philip said: "It's amazingly nice to be in a country that is not ruled by the people."

In addition to diplomatic blunders, Philip often gave palace gossip a reason to gossip about his love affairs on the side. He was credited with an affair with a cousin of Elizabeth II, they talked about illegitimate children from different women. But the queen did everything to stop such rumors. The couple managed to save the family. And in 2007, Elizabeth II and Philip celebrated a diamond wedding - the 60th anniversary of their marriage. For the British monarchy, this is a solid marital record and another record.

Charles, Prince of Wales

Unfortunately, their eldest son Prince Charles could not follow the example of his parents. The heir to the throne divorced Princess Diana after 15 years of marriage. The family was not saved either by two children - William and Harry, or by the persuasion of the queen herself. By the way, Elizabeth II played an important role in arranging this marriage.

Among all the candidates who applied for the "post" of the prince's wife, Diana Spencer, a young English woman of noble origin with a good upbringing, submissive and modest, became the best option. The queen invited her to all the events in which Charles participated in order to bring them closer. As a result, succumbing to the pressure of society - the prince was already over 30 - and his domineering mother, Charles proposed to Diana.

But the prince was not distinguished by fidelity and did not hide it. His heart belonged to Camille Parker Bowles, who later married him. And Diana did not silently endure her husband's betrayal. She briefly had a close relationship with her riding instructor, James Hewitt, to which she admitted in a 1995 television interview (Charles had made a similar confession to Camille the year before). Shortly before her death, in June 1997, Diana began dating film producer Dodi al-Fayed, the son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed.

On August 31, 1997, Diana died in a car accident in France. People filled the fences of Buckingham and Kensington Palaces with flowers, soft toys, balloons, letters of condolence. For the lack of reaction of Elizabeth II to the death of the princess beloved by the British people, the Queen was angered by the public and many major media. The queen's popularity plummeted. For the first time in 10 years, from 13 to 30%, the number of those who were sure that without the monarchy of Great Britain "it would be better" increased.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall

Prime Minister Tony Blair had to save the day. He persuaded the queen to personally honor the memory of the princess. Elizabeth returned to London five days after Diana's death. Together with Prince Philip, she went to a pile of flowers at Buckingham Palace, showing people her sympathy. The crowd started clapping. On the same day, the Queen addressed the nation on live television, calling Diana "an exceptional and gifted person." “Neither in joy, nor in grief, she did not lose the ability to laugh and support others with her warmth and kindness,” said Elizabeth.

Over the years of Elizabeth's reign, the royal guard recorded more than 20 incidents related to violations of the personal safety of members of the royal family. As the Queen herself says, "danger is part of my job."

In 1974, an attempt to kidnap Princess Anne was thwarted near Buckingham Palace in London. In May 1981, an assassination attempt on Prince Charles was thwarted when a bomb-filled envelope addressed to the Prince of Wales was intercepted at a sorting post office in west London.

The attack on the queen herself was carried out a month after this incident. During the traditional parade, a young man shot six times at the horse of Elizabeth II. The pistol was loaded with blanks. The attacker was accused of violating a law passed back in 1842, which provided for the punishment for firing a weapon in close proximity to the royal person in order to frighten her.

In 2014, Scotland Yard prevented another assassination attempt on the British Queen. Four people have been arrested in London on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack. They planned an attack on Elizabeth II using edged weapons.

Crown of the British Empire

An elegant creation of human hands, before which more than one generation of people bowed their heads, the Royal Crown of Britain is a crown with alternating four lilies and crosses. Above them are four semi-arcs, which are crowned with a ball with a cross. The basis of splendor is a velvet hat with an ermine edge. In total, the crown of monarchs is decorated with 2868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 273 pearls, 5 wondrous rubies.

Her Majesty wears the crown once, maximum twice a year. The crown of the British Empire, which the Queen wears at the Opening of Parliament, is very heavy, so Elizabeth II has to wear it for several days before this event to get used to its weight. Prince Charles once said that one of his most vivid childhood memories is when his mother bathed him in the bath with a crown on her head, as she was preparing for the opening of Parliament.

On May 27, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II opened Parliament for the 63rd time.
This is, of course, the most amazing, the most royal sight.

The Queen and Prince Philip in a carriage. The Queen also donned her personal diamond jewellery, a King George three strand diamond necklace and earrings from the Queen Mary brooch.

The Queen arrives at Westminster Abbey

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles

the queen enters parliament

On this day, she is always in white. All ladies, even ladies-in-waiting, at this ceremony, everyone must be in white. The Queen arrives in the carriage of Queen Victoria wearing the diadem of King George. In the "canonical" form, which is printed on money and stamps.

in a carriage carrying a crown

crown of the british empire

15 minute throne speech

Elizabeth has finished her Throne Speech and is about to leave Parliament

The Queen is already without the Crown of the British Empire

and the Crown of the British Empire goes back to the Tower

Speaking about the dressing room of the queen, it is worth noting that military order always reigns there. Each new thing is entered under its own name in a special catalog, which also indicates the date, time and place when it was put on. This allows Elizabeth II to avoid fashion repetition.

Queen Elizabeth II - 63 years of the monarchy in hats

On September 9, Queen Elizabeth II broke the record of Queen Victoria and became the longest-reigning monarch in British history - 63 years and 7 months. Below are the Queen's famous hats, which she wore on important occasions throughout her reign.

Today the queen dresses according to her age.

Angela Kelly, Queen Elizabeth II's personal dresser for 40 years, has written a book about her work, Dressing the Queen: The Jubilee Wardrobe, with the permission of Her Majesty.

Angela Kelly has been working on the royal image for all these years, she helps to select outfits for all events, and the Queen of Great Britain has a great many of them. Angela designs costumes, participates in the acquisition of new things and, of course, knows all the secrets of the impeccable style of Elizabeth II.

Angela Kelly at work

Of course, everyone knows about such an item of the royal dress code as a hat. But it turns out that when Queen Elizabeth II is about to visit a nursing home, she specifically selects a structured hat in a bright color so that even people with low vision can see the accessory.

Elizabeth II has never been a fashionista. And, as a royal spokeswoman admitted in an interview, even in her youth, Her Majesty dressed conservatively and never wore a miniskirt. Although at that time everyone was crazy about the new thing in the women's wardrobe, which had just come into fashion.

Often, Elizabeth II uses accessories to convey secret signs. For example, if during official events she puts her purse on the table, then it becomes clear to her attendants that the Queen wants to leave the meeting in five minutes. When she starts twisting the ring on her finger or shifting the bag from one hand to the other, it means that she is bored with the interlocutor.

One of the queen's privileges is that Her Majesty is exempt from paying taxes to the royal treasury. However, since 1992, she regularly fills out the declaration, without using tax benefits. And the Queen is the only resident of the UK who does not have a passport and a driver's license.

It is noteworthy that, despite all her fortune, Queen Elizabeth has never been included in the famous Forbes list. This is due to the fact that a significant part of her fortune is the real estate of the royal court of Great Britain. The Queen's main source of income is a fixed percentage of the profits of the Crown Estate, or the so-called sovereign grant.

According to the law, all income of the Crown Estate goes to the state treasury, after which the British monarch receives 15% of his share. Crown Estate is an independent commercial enterprise with the largest real estate portfolio in Britain. The value of the company's capital is estimated at 11.5 billion pounds.

The Queen receives an annual salary of around £40 million. The sources of finance that support the monarchy are investments and income from the Royal Lands.

In June 2015, the Financial Times reported that Queen Elizabeth II would receive a record income from real estate deals she owns, which is managed by Crown Estate. In the first three months of 2015, the company earned £285 million, of which Queen Elizabeth II is entitled to £43 million.

No matter how much money the queen has in her account, she can always withdraw it using her personal ATM. It is installed on the first floor of Buckingham Palace. One of the most prestigious and reliable banks in the country, Coutts, is responsible for its maintenance. And, of course, it never runs out of cash. This is strictly monitored.

VIVAT, QUEEN!

With Elizabeth II, as with all people, funny things happen from time to time. One of these was associated with the pride of our cosmonautics, Yuri Gagarin. The story took place in 1961. According to English court etiquette, after drinking tea, there is no lemon from a cup. However, Yuri Gagarin, the bearer of Soviet traditions, did not know this. The queen and her entourage were shocked when the astronaut crushed the lemon in a jar and put it straight into his mouth. But Elizabeth did not dare to offend the invited guest and saved the situation by doing the same.

Her Majesty receives the President of the United States at Buckingham Palace
Barack Obama and his wife Michelle

Another violator of royal etiquette was the wife of US President Michelle Obama. In 2009, at a reception at Buckingham Palace, she friendly hugged the monarch's shoulder. Such a gesture is considered a gross violation in the UK. According to the existing protocol, which dates back to the Middle Ages, no one has the right to touch the British monarch.

Queen Elizabeth II awarded the Hollywood actress
Angelina Jolie the title of lady for her humanitarian work.

The actress was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Michael and St. George

Her Majesty at a meeting with the actors of the series Game of thrones. The series, now involved in the biography of the royal person, is the “Game of Thrones”. The Queen of Great Britain visited the new studios where the mega-popular series is being filmed. Elizabeth II talked to the actors, walked around the film sets, but did not dare to sit on the throne.

Once, in 1991, a security officer denied Elizabeth herself access to the private wing of the Royal Horse Show in Windsor. Later, he justified himself: "I thought that this old lady was just lost." And in 1982, an unemployed man broke into Her Majesty's private quarters. The stranger sat on the bed of the queen for 10 minutes, while she entertained him with imperturbable calm, waiting for the guards and the police.

Renamed from September 2012 and bears the name of Queen Elizabeth

The name of Elizabeth II has been repeatedly assigned to various territories, including Queen Elizabeth Land in Antarctica, the Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada. Even the famous clock tower Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called the "Elizabeth Tower" since September 2012. Rosa Queen Elizabeth is also named in honor of Her Majesty. In the United Kingdom, 237 streets bear the name of Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth Islands in Canada

Barbeau's Peak Barbeau Peak

Barbeau Peak (2616 meters) is the highest peak of Ellesmere Island, the archipelago and the territory of Nunavut. The climate of the islands is extremely severe, arctic. The islands are covered with polar deserts. The total area of the islands is 419,061 km². Many of the islands are among the largest on the globe, the largest of them is Ellesmere, the other major island is Devon.

To date, Elizabeth II has 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. The eldest son of the heir to the throne, Prince Charles, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton gave the Queen great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte. And this means that neither the Queen nor her subjects should worry about the future of the monarchy in the UK.

Prince Charles' eldest son, Prince William

Prince William (Wilhelm) Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge

Prince William and Kate Middleton

wedding ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton
April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London

George Alexander Louis - the firstborn, was born on June 22, 2013 at the London clinic of St. Mary

The two-year-old prince went to the West Acre Montessori Nursery in Norfolk, in the east of England. Duchess Kate chose kindergarten for her two-year-old son not on the basis of prestige or high cost, but for reasons of learning efficiency. In the garden where George Alexander Louis went, teaching is based on the Montessori system. This system is focused on independence, creativity and non-standard thinking.

Daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, born May 2, 2015

In honor of the birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's child, London's Tower Bridge was lit up with pink lights. The whole world rejoiced and rejoiced for the happy royal family.

Charlotte is 6 months old. The newborn princess became the fourth in succession to the throne after her grandfather Charles, father and brother George.

Prince Charles' youngest son - Prince Harry

According to the results of the past 2015, Prince Harry took first place in the ranking of the most enviable suitors on the planet. From a young age, Harry is closely watched by journalists, not missing the slightest opportunity to highlight any transgression of the prince in the press. From the age of 17, he regularly appeared in the gossip column. Once he was filmed in a pub in a state of intoxication, later scandalous photographs of a naked Prince at a party in Las Vegas were printed. The royal family was seriously agitated by his behavior. Father Charles decided to send his son after graduating from college to the Sandhurst Military Academy. The measure taken helped, and Harry settled down a bit.

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the site will tell you where to go for a walk to meet the royal

Where can you meet the eyes of the monarch

Photo 1 of 23:© Getty Images

Just imagine, you are walking through an ordinary park, not touching anyone, and then a real queen passes by.Amazed? Our editors decided to make the dreams of many readers come true and tell you what royal person you can easily meet in an ordinary supermarket, on a walk in the park or at a performance at the opera.

Where You Can Meet the Monarch's Eyes - Queen Margaret II - Market and Opera

Queen Margaret II ascended the Danish throne on January 14, 1972. She became the second female queen to the throne of Denmark in nearly a thousand years of the monarchy's history. The royal couple of Denmark - Queen Margaret and Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark - live in Amalienborg Palace. The palace itself is located in the center of the Danish capital - the city of Copenhagen.

Where can you see the queen: first of all, you need to make sure that the queen is at home, and not visiting some distant country on a diplomatic mission. Believe me, this is very easy to do. Several times a week there is a changing of the guard of honor in front of the palace. If the Queen is at home, the ceremony is complete; if Her Highness is not in the palace, the ceremony is shortened.

Queen Margaret is one of the most democratic monarchs of our time. She very often goes to the food markets in Copenhagen. Often the queen walks along the pedestrian Strøget street, where there are many small shops, cafes, restaurants. But Margaret's favorite grocery shopping spot is the market in Luzèche, where members of the royal family hang out at their summer residence, the Chateau de Caix in southern France. Where you can meet the eyes of the monarch: Princess Beatrice of York - UK © Getty Images

Where can you see the princess : how Princess Beatrice did not try to "get on the right path", but could not give up her favorite parties. After her grandmother reproached her with too riotous nightlife in London, the princess moved to discos in Saint-Tropez. In other words, away from the watchful eye of Elizabeth. Beaches and parties are where you might be lucky enough to see Beatrice. Also, the princess often runs into small beach cafes to have a bite to eat.

Where you can meet the eyes of the monarch - Crown Princess Victoria - the park near the royal palace

Crown Princess Victoria has been heir to the Swedish throne since 1980 following a constitutional reform. Princess Victoria and her husband lead a very modest lifestyle. Before marriage, Victoria was not noticed at noisy parties, she did not lead a wild life. She married her personal trainer after a 9-year romance. And she settled with her husband in the permanent residence of the Swedish monarchs - in the Drottningholm Palace.

Where can you see the crown princess : Victoria simply loves morning walks in the park of Drottningholm Palace. Whether lipeshkom, or on a bicycle, but she does not miss the opportunity to spend an hour in nature. So you have a real opportunity to walk next to the princess.

Drottningholm Palace is open to tourists:

May-August: daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm;
September: daily from 11 am to 3:30 pm;
October-April: Saturday-Sunday from 11 am to 3:30 pm;

You don't need to buy tickets, admission is free.

Where You Can Meet the Monarch's Eyes - Queen Elizabeth II - Derby

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is one of the most famous monarchs in the world. She is worshiped not only by all of Britain, but also by most countries of our world. One of the symbols of the country, the famous Big Ben, was renamed in her honor. Now, since 2012, the tower has officially been called the Elizabeth Tower.

Where can you see the queen : the queen has one weakness - it's horses. She has never missed the world-famous Royal Ascot race. But getting to them without the invitation of the royal family is almost impossible. Although, if you have an unheard of fortune, you can try to buy an invitation.

However, do not despair, you still have the opportunity to meet the eyes of Elizabeth II. All you have to do is visit the June free race Epsom Downs in London. The royal family, led by Elizabeth, visits these races every year, watching the action from the royal box. All other spectators can stay in the other 3 boxes or park their own car in front of the royal box on the other side of the racing stadium.

Where you can meet the eyes of the monarch - Prince Amadeo of Belgium - jogging

The Belgian Prince Amadeo cannot boast that he will be able to take the Belgian throne in the future. Too long line lined up in front of him. But, whatever one may say, the blue royal blood still flows in him.

Amedeo graduated from the School of Economics in London. In addition, he holds the rank of reserve officer of the Belgian army. Now a modest and serious young man works in the largest audit company Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in New York.

Where can you see the prince : The prince's hobby is running. He even competed in the New York City Marathon. So put on your sneakers, grab your Walkman, and go for a run in New York's Central Park. Maybe you are lucky and you can compete with a real prince.

The English Queen Elizabeth II met with the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill - to the displeasure of the British press and the Ukrainian authorities. The visit of the primate of the Russian Church indicates that the interests of at least a part of the British aristocracy coincide with the Russian ones - oddly enough, in terms of confrontation with the global Anglo-Saxon project.

At a meeting at Buckingham Palace, Patriarch Kirill congratulated the Queen on her recent 90th birthday and presented her with an icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear". As the press secretary of the patriarch said, various issues were discussed:

“This meeting is designed to emphasize the importance of preserving in the modern world the basic values for the entire Christian world”

“Including Patriarch Kirill told the queen about the revival of the Church in Russia in the last 20 years, about the construction of churches, about the development of theological science, about the increase in the number of dioceses, in general about the spiritual upsurge that exists now in Russia. The position of Christianity in Europe was also discussed.

The patriarch himself said that he was very pleased with the meeting and did not expect it to take place “in such an atmosphere and at such an active level at which it really took place”:

“She has bright radiant eyes, an excellent reaction to words, to questions, to a conversation. She herself talked a lot, and said very correct, smart things that are interesting to listen to. This conversation made a very pleasant impression on me intellectually and emotionally. I will keep in my memory such a bright queen, who is 90 years old and who has been on the throne for 60 years ... The monarchy is, as it were, above momentary political problems, it enables the citizens of Great Britain through the monarchy to rely on the full strength of their national tradition, which the monarchy expresses ” .

And on the eve, during the patriarchal service in the London Cathedral of the Assumption, the “To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our God-protected country, this God-protected country” sounded and so surprised secular people for many years. Members of the English Parliament, bishops of the Anglican Church, and Elizabeth's cousin Prince Michael of Kent, to whom the Windsors had long been "trying on" the Monomakh's hat in absentia, were present at this service. Of course, the patriarch did not talk about this option of restoring the monarchy with the prince in the altar of the cathedral. They spoke of a long tradition of ties between the two peoples (of which the current English dynasty, closely related to the Romanovs in the 19th century, is also a part).

“Relations between countries have a long history, and the difficult period that is now observed cannot affect the deep ties between peoples,” the patriarch said. And during the sermon, he added that “on the spiritual and cultural level, there is a particularly significant interaction of countries and peoples. It is not subject to the political conjuncture of the current moment.

It was no accident that the patriarch spoke about the political conjuncture - Russia's relations with the West can rightly be called a cold war, and of all the countries of the West, England undoubtedly takes the toughest anti-Russian position. Considering that just the other day Vladimir Putin's visit to Paris, during which he and the patriarch were to open a Russian spiritual and cultural center (the main part of which is an Orthodox church), was actually disrupted, the patriarch's London visit turned out to be even more noticeable.

Patriarch Kirill visited the Diocese of Sourozh for three days - this is the name of the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church located in the British Isles and Ireland. The visit was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in England - the first Russian parish, the community of the Assumption Church, was organized at the embassy of Peter the Great. And now the patriarch has consecrated the Assumption Cathedral in London. Back in the 50s of the last century, the temple was converted from the former Anglican church, and in recent years it has undergone a large-scale renovation.

The Patriarch also visited other parishes in London, including the church of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and communicated a lot with their parishioners, Russians living in Great Britain. But it is clear that the press was primarily interested in the Anglican part of the visit. Indeed, after all, the patriarch came not only to the Londoners of Surozh, but also to the United Kingdom. That is, to the Anglicans - the Protestant church, headed by the queen.

There is no prayer communion between Orthodox and Anglicans. Although before the revolution of 1917 there was a serious interest in Orthodoxy among part of the clergy and aristocracy on the islands and even the possibility of returning to Orthodoxy was discussed, in recent decades the Anglicans have moved even further away from us: not only marriages and the priesthood for homosexuals, but also the ordination of women to the priesthood and even bishops. At the same time, such "reforms" are rejected by those Anglicans who continue to follow the evangelical moral standards. And it is clear that they are increasingly sympathetic to Orthodoxy, including the Russian Orthodox Church.

There is also an intra-dynastic conditionally Orthodox party. Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, was born into an Orthodox family (from a Greek dynasty, Nicholas the First was among his ancestors) - and, although he later accepted Anglicanism, he says that he remained Orthodox. His son, Prince Charles of Wales, visits Orthodox monasteries from Athos to Palestine - and Archbishop Gregory of Thyatira and Great Britain (Patriarchate of Constantinople) says that the prince is Orthodox at heart.

The absence of spiritual communion between the ROC and the Anglicans does not mean the absence of "diplomatic" relations. And therefore, during this trip, the Patriarch met both with the Bishop of Canterbury and with the Queen of England.

The very fact of the meeting of Elizabeth II with Kirill caused not only indignation of the Ukrainian ambassador in London - the invitation of the patriarch "risks to legitimize Russian foreign policy in the eyes of the whole world" - but also criticism in the British press. The Times called the inclusion of an audience with the Queen in the schedule of the patriarchal visit a mistake, and the Daily Mail recalled that Prince Charles usually receives visiting religious leaders.

The outrage is connected not only with the fact that right now attacks on Russia have again escalated in England because of the war in Syria, but with the general atmosphere of hostility in Anglo-Russian relations. Against this background, the patriarch's trip is attributed the features of a certain diplomatic mission, exposing the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church almost as Putin's emissary - which, of course, should frighten island readers.

At the same time, the visit of the patriarch does have an important geopolitical aspect. Because Russia acts as an alternative to the Anglo-Saxon world order, that is, the plans for the global domination of the supranational elite (mainly of American and English origin and place of residence). And Russia defends and promotes not just a different geopolitical and economic world order, but first of all it defends the spiritual and moral alternative to globalization. Which consists in the coexistence of different civilizations, each of which is based on its own tradition - and in the case of Russia, this is Orthodoxy.

What did the representative of the patriarch talk about before meeting with the queen?

“We hope that this meeting will bring tangible results for building relations between our peoples, since both the Church and the monarchy are the basis for preserving traditional values, which, unfortunately, are now losing their meaning in the eyes of many people... This meeting is called emphasize the importance of preserving in the modern world the basic values for the entire Christian world.

This is true. Yes, the British monarchy is, of course, a fundamental and historical geopolitical opponent of Russia. But within the framework of Atlantic globalization, the role and place of the English aristocracy is not at all as simple as it seems. Still being part of a large European Christian civilization (which includes Germans, Italians, and French), the English aristocracy is now in fact in conflict with those representatives of the global supranational elite who put on posthumanism, on the complete de-Christianization of the West, the elimination of nation-states and the creation of a unified Atlantic community.

Despite the fact that the English royal dynasty has long been intertwined with supranational capital and its carriers, this does not negate the internal conflict. And the role and influence of the old European aristocracy (which continues to be the center of the European elite) will decrease with the further advancement of the globalist project.

Globalization in its conditionally "American", supranational version does not need either old dynasties, or the preservation of states, or the diversity of civilizations. We are talking about a single humanity under the control of a single center, a society of unified consumers under the supervision of a global supercorporation.

It is clear that this is a distant prospect. But the English aristocracy retained its influence and positions not only because of its absolute illegibility in the means (applied either to its own people or to foreigners), but also due to the presence of strategic thinking.

And that is why at least a part of the island aristocracy can today turn out to be a tactical ally of Russia in playing long against the model of globalization that is disadvantageous to both countries, while remaining a geopolitical opponent of Russia in the struggle for influence in specific regions and in the world as a whole. The “Englishwoman” will never stop “spoiling” Russia, which does not cancel the possibility of tactical alliance in specific areas.

There can be no question of any rapprochement between Anglicanism and Orthodoxy, just as there can be no question of the disappearance of geopolitical contradictions between Great Britain and the United States on the one hand and Russia on the other. But the contours of future decades depend on the current global retake of cards. And so Farage and Le Pen play along with Trump, and the patriarch goes to Beijing and to the Queen of England.

The British are reluctant to change centuries-old traditions. Of interest to the guests of the country are the traditions associated with the royal court and parliament, which are most often clothed in the form of various ceremonies performed by the queen and her family.

The Queen officially opens a new session of Parliament each year, usually in October or November. She, along with the Duke of Edinburgh, travels from Buckingham Palace to Westminster in the State Coach. Before the Queen and her entourage enter the Houses of Parliament, the Yeomen of the Guard search the basements of the building. This tradition has been observed since 1605, when a group of conspirators tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Today, police officers assist the palace guards in their search for explosives.

The awards are held at Buckingham Palace exactly twenty times a year. They are also occasionally held at Edinburgh Palace and outside the United Kingdom. Each awards ceremony is attended by up to 150 candidates, each of which can invite up to three guests. The Queen enters the hall accompanied by two officers. Plays military bands. The Queen or other member of the royal family who is performing the ceremony stands throughout the awards ceremony, which lasts just over an hour. After the band has played the national anthem, the Lord Chamberlain will announce in turn the name of each candidate and the reason for which he is being awarded. Then the queen attaches an award to the chest of the lucky one and congratulates him. At this ceremony, the queen also knights.

More than 30,000 people attend receptions in the Royal Garden every year. Every summer there are at least three receptions at Buckingham Palace and one at Holyroodhouse Palace in Edinburgh (the capital of Scotland). These receptions have been held since the 1860s. In the 1950s, the number of receptions in the garden of Buckingham Palace increased from two to three per year. Sometimes the Queen gives an additional garden party, which is held for a large national organization that celebrates a round date, such as the Red Cross or to celebrate the year of the Invalid. For admission, people are selected from all spheres of society: from the government, the armed forces, the diplomatic corps. Invitations are issued by the Lord Chamberlain on behalf of the Queen. At the reception, which is usually held from 16 to 18 hours, there are up to 8 thousand guests.

The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, walk among the guests with other members of the royal family after the British national anthem is played. Each of the representatives of the royal family walks through the garden in their own way with the goal that each of the guests has the opportunity to be introduced and communicate with the royal people. During receptions, two military bands take turns playing music. The Queen and other members of her family eventually arrive at the royal tent where they have tea. Also at the reception they put up a separate tent for the diplomatic corps and all other guests. Tea and sweets are served. Around 6 pm, the royal family leaves the garden, and the band plays the British anthem again to mark the end of the reception.

The Queen is the official head of the United Kingdom as well as the British Commonwealth of Nations. The British Foreign Office sends out invitations to heads of other states. Usually, the queen receives representatives of two foreign states a year. Each of these visits lasts from Tuesday to Friday, during which the head of a foreign state not only has time to meet with the Queen, Prime Minister, ministers, leaders of political parties and heads of diplomatic missions in London, but also attend a state banquet in his honor, give a return banquet and spend the day away from London and Edinburgh, during which he or she is introduced to other aspects of British life.

The Whitehall Memorial Day Ceremony is held on the second Sunday in November, when all the people, along with the Queen, give tribute to those who died in two world wars and other military conflicts of the twentieth century. The Queen, other members of the royal family, representatives of the armed forces and leaders of the country's political parties hold two minutes of silence at the monument to the victims in Whitehall. The Queen and all present then lay wreaths at the monument, after which a short service is held, the band plays the British anthem, and the Queen leaves. War veterans march past the monument, paying tribute to the dead. There is a tradition of giving alms by the monarch on Maundy Thursday during Holy Week. This ceremony is held in one of the country's cathedrals or abbeys and the money is given to pensioners living in the parish. This tradition dates back to the 13th century, when kings distributed food and clothing to the poor and sick.

There were many secrets and rumors around this high meeting at Buckingham Palace, English journalists even discussed the dubiousness of this kind of audience.

The words of Patriarch Kirill that the church, faith, religion exist on top of political plots and can truly explain the soul of the people and present the country outside in the best, most accurate way, justified. This is a historically important meeting. The Queen of England is only in the eyes of the most inexperienced people a symbol of ritual power. Sociologists say that the 21st century is more likely to abandon the total "mass society" acquired in the 20th century and to some extent return to the experience of class society.

Great Britain, which has retained the institution of royal power, has this experience. The queen is not just a symbol and emblem, but royal power means following certain unshakable values and implies obligations of honor. The Church is also an institution where the highest values are important and honor is never forgotten.

Patriarch Kirill told Queen Elizabeth II about the revival of the Church in Russia in the last 20 years

The historic meeting of the spiritual and state leaders of the two countries began with a warm welcome and lasted a little over half an hour. Among those invited are the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Bishop of the Anglican Church of London Richard Chartres.

According to the press secretary of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Alexander Volkov, Patriarch Kirill told the queen about the revival of the Church in Russia in the last 20 years, about the construction of churches, about the development of theological science, about the increase in the number of dioceses, in general - about the spiritual upsurge that exists now in Russia . A separate topic for discussion was the position of Christianity in Europe.

His Holiness congratulated Her Majesty on her 90th birthday, which was celebrated this year, and presented the icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear" in Russian jewelry traditions as a keepsake. In response, the queen gave him portraits: her own and her husband's.

This meeting, Volkov noted, is designed to emphasize the importance of preserving the basic values for the entire Christian world in the modern world. "We hope that this meeting will bring tangible results for building relations between our peoples, since both the Church and the monarchy are the basis for preserving traditional values, which, unfortunately, are now losing their meaning in the eyes of many people," he said and added that the Patriarch is very encouraged by the results of this meeting.

Later, at Lambeth Palace, Patriarch Kirill met with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. The hierarch of the Church of England told reporters the day before that it was an honor for him to meet with His Holiness, and expressed confidence that "God has the opportunity to improve relations between England and Russia." Justin Welby said that the meeting will discuss "spiritual issues of the relationship of churches", as well as the problem of oppression of Christians. "Peoples who profess Christianity must commit themselves to striving for peace and the common good for all people," he said.

Alexander Volkov, commenting on this meeting, noted that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Anglican Church "have a fairly extensive platform for dialogue." “First of all, this dialogue is based on the topics of preserving the traditional view of Christianity, and the challenges that an aggressive secular society now poses to the church in Europe are of concern to both the Russian Orthodox Church and the Church of England,” he said.

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