The Royal Issue Insight into History - The Lymm High School History Magazine Issue 2: Feb 2021
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Insight into History
The Lymm High School History Magazine Issue 2: Feb 2021
The Royal Issue
1
Welcome message
Welcome to The Royal Issue!!
After the success of the last issue, we’ve had so many more
volunteers to help, so this issue is a lot longer than the last. We
have articles covering a lot of the past monarchs, as well as
some about the current Royals. We hope you will find
something you are interested in and learn some new facts too!
If you are interested in being involved in the magazine in the
future, whether that is writing full articles or just recommend-
ing a film you have watched and anything in between, please
send us a brief message on our Get Involved page.
We hope you enjoy reading our magazine!
The Insight Into History Team
2
Meet the Team
Editor-in-Chief = George Pitcher
Deputy Editor-in-Chief = Gemma Jackson
Head of Design = Alisha Bushnell
Head of Marketing = Charlotte Wood
Editors
Chief Political Editor = Jay Palombella
Deputy Political Editor = Anna McDonald
Gender + LGBTQ Editor = Jessica Salmon
Minorities Editor = Emma Parkinson
TV + Film Editor = Poppy Harris
Head Interviewer = Lauren Cliffe
Opinions Editor = Pierre De Villiers
The Writing Team
Year 12 - Amy French, Hattie Cosgrove, Emilia McMonagle, Sacha Jones, Bella
Charlton, Ellie Colquhoun.
Year 10– Amy Deeks
Year 8 - Jake Sands
Year 7 - Annie Martin, Reuben Roberts, Tom Matthews, Lily Norton.
Fun Facts contributed by Beth Pitcher (Year 9).
3
Contents
In a Nutshell: The role of the Royal Family - p6
Henry VIII and his 6 wives - p8
Henry VIII: Was he really the King he was made out to be? - p10
Queen Victoria: Empress of India - p13
Fact file: George VI - p15
The Great British Scandal: Prince Andrew - p18
William the Conqueror: Taking control of England – p21
Royal Dogs: The Queen’s Corgis - p23
Meghan Markle and the British media - p24
The overlooked triumphs of Queen consorts - p26
Fact file: James II - p28
The Commonwealth - A Relic of Imperialism or A Harmonious
Family of Nations? - p29
Queen Elizabeth II: Is she truly the “Ultimate feminist” - p31
4
Edward and Mrs Simpson - The Scandals - p33
Diana: The People’s Princess - p36
Fact file: Charles I - p38
Queen Anne - p39
Bloody Mary: England’s First Queen - p41
Elizabeth I: The funding behind the slave trade - p43
Fact file: William I - p44
Fact file: Mary Queen of Scots - p44
The Royal Family: Is their time up? - p45
Recommendations - p47
The Interview - p51
This Month in History: Royal Events in February - p53
The Quiz - p54
5
In A Nutshell: The Role of the Royals
The Royal Family is arguable the most famous family in the world, but
what exactly do they do? Throughout this article I am going to explain
what they do, and how their role has changed over time.
For centuries, the role of the Kings and Queens of England was one of
complete power. Power to make laws, declare war and generally decide
the path of the country.
However, eventually the monarchy lost a lot of its power, all thanks to
one person: King John. John was strongly disliked by his barons, church
leaders and the general public due to him abusing his power and asking
for too much money from everyone. The barons drew up a document that
restricted the power of the King and made sure that he had to follow the
same laws as everyone else. This document was called the Magna Carta,
and on June 15th, 1215 the barons forced John to sign it. The Magna
Carta was the first step towards the creation of England’s constitution.
After the Magna Carta, the Monarch still held the majority of power of
Did you know? There has only ever been one King
called John. It is suspected that this is due to the unfa-
vourable reputation of the first King John. With nick-
names like “the phoney king”, it is easy to guess that
not many monarchs would want to be associated with
him. Or they might just not like the name!
the country, however they were regulated by the nobles. In some cases,
the monarch made specific decisions with the permission of most trusted
advisors, that still affect us today. For example, Henry VIII who changed
the religion of the country from Catholicism to the Church of England,
which he invented because the Pope (Head of the Catholic Church) would
not allow him to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The concept
of Parliament developed over 100s of years, and it was these officials that
kept the Monarch in check.
6
Modern historians often consider the first
Prime Minister of England to be Sir Robert Wal-
pole in 1721-1742, however he never had that
official title. In fact, the first time the title of
Prime Minister was used was in 1905 with
Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Nowadays, it
is the Prime Minister of the UK that has the
power over the country, and they are elected
every 4 years.
So now we know how the monarch’s power has
faded over the years, what is their role today?
Well firstly, they don’t have to worry about
money because they are supported by taxpayer
money. This angers a lot of people, but it is
worth adding that they do earn the UK
King John approximately £1.8 billion a year, which
includes the revenue from the millions of
tourists that travel to visit royal
attractions every year.
The main role of the royal
family is to carry out public and
charitable “engagements”.
These engagements may
include overseas visits to
represent the nation in other
countries, especially
Commonwealth countries.
Members of the Royal Family
often are involved in charitable
causes that are close to their hearts, for example the Duke and
Duchess of Cambridge have a mental health charity called Heads
Together. Another example is Prince Charles’ Princes Trust that he
started in 1976 to help vulnerable children across the country.
In a nutshell, the role of the Royal Family is to be a figurehead for our
country and to represent national unity. Some may argue that this is
no longer necessary, but many also find great joy from the Queen and
her family. However, I am interested to see if the love for the Royal
Family continues after the Queen dies.
Fun Fact: Kate Middleton was the first royal bride to have a
By George Pitcher university degree, when she married Prince William in 2011.
7
Henry VIII and his 6 wives
1. Catherine of Aragon
A Spanish princess who had been engaged to Prince Arthur,
Henry’s older brother, since childhood, who would become
king of England. She travelled to England in 1501 to marry
him, however when he suddenly died in 1502, she was
betrothed to Henry.
Married: 11 June 1509 - 23 May 1533
Children: Mary I born 18 February 1516
Divorced because she was getting older and Henry feared she wouldn’t be
able to give him a son, who he desperately wanted as an heir to the
throne, to continue the Tudor name and bloodline.
2. Anne Boleyn
Anne was a courtier gracing his court when he first caught
feelings for her, however she wasn’t necessarily the first in
her family. It is highly suspected that Anne’s mother,
Elizabeth Howard, was one of Henry’s many mistresses.
Married: 25 January 1533 - 19 May 1536
Children: Elizabeth I born 7 September 1533
Beheaded when charged guilty for treason, as Henry held many charges
against her, including adultery, incest and conspiracy against the king.
3. Jane Seymour
Jane was Henry’s favourite wife, and they are buried together
in St George’s Chapel, Winsor. This is most likely because she
was the one of his wives to give him a son, Edward, however
she sadly died in childbirth.
Married: 30 May 1536 - 24 October 1537
Children: Edward 12 October 1537
It is suspected that had she not passed away giving birth to Edward, she
would’ve been Henry’s forever wife.
8
4. Anne of Cleves-
Anne arrived in England on 27th December 1539,
landing at Deal in Kent, in preparation for her
forthcoming marriage to King Henry VIII. Henry was
excited about meeting Anne and so he decided to
disguise himself and travel to Rochester to surprise her.
Married: 6 January 1540 - 9 July 1540
Divorced as she wasn’t as pretty as she was in the
painting Henry saw before agreeing to marry her, he claimed she looked
like a horse.
5. Catherine Howard
Catherine and Henry met through his wife, Anne
of Cleves. The young and reportedly beautiful
Catherine Howard was maid of honour to Henry's
new queen, and they got married just 19 days
after the divorce of Anne.
Married: 28 July 1540 - 13 February 1542
She was the second of Henry’s wives to be beheaded for treason. After he
was given evidence that she had had affairs before their marriage and that
she was having an affair with her cousin, Thomas Culpepper, Henry had
her imprisoned
Fun Fact: 17 British monarchs are buried at Westminster
Abbey, the first was King Edward to the 13th century.
6. Catherine Parr
She impressed Henry when the country was in religious
turmoil, by reading about the Church of England, and
saying she believed it was much better than
Catholicism.
Married: 12 July 1543 - 28 January 1547
Catherine was Henry’s final wife and outlived him.
Click here to listen to the Horrible Histories song.
By Gemma Jackson 9
Henry VIII: was he the really king he’s often made
out to be?
Henry VII is arguably one of the most well-known and recognisable
monarchs, with the overwhelming majority of people being able to
identify him from his silhouette alone. Every school child has heard
the story of his six famous wives, along with the famous rhyme
“divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded survived”, but was
he actually the glorious king he is usually perceived as?
On 24th June 1509, Henry Tudor officially became Henry VIII of
England when he took his coronation oath, where he made many
promises to the people of England to mark the beginning of his
reign, however, it is questionable whether he stuck to some of the
most important premises of his coronation oath. I will discuss the
following three elements of the oath
· Uphold the Church
· Deliver Equal and Rightful Justice
· Uphold laws and Customs
and use them to illustrate how Henry didn’t
obey the rules of the monarchy, and therefore doesn’t necessarily
deserve the honour he often receives.
In 1521, Henry was named the “defender of faith” and as a devout
Catholic who attended mass five times every day, was protecting
his and his country’s religion against Martin Luther and the rise of
Protestantism in Europe. However, this was only fleeting, as his
desire to divorce Catherine of Aragon transcended his faith and
devotion to the church. Henry famously broke from the Catholic
church in 1534, when the Pope, as the head of the Catholic
Church, didn’t condone the termination of the marriage.
Fun Fact: King Edward VII made his dinner guests weigh them-
selves before and after the meal to ensure they were eating properly.
It is rumoured that this tradition still continues today.
10The new religion Church of England was formed, and the Act of
Supremacy made the English monarch “Supreme Head of the
Church”. Henry was now head of his own religion and could
dictate all rules to suit him, allowing him to divorce Catherine of
Aragon, and marry the youthful Anne Boleyn. Other incentives of
doing this included the act that as head of the Church, he owned
all church buildings and artifacts, which he could make money
from to repay all his debts from fighting with France. It’s evident
that in changing the religion of England, he was acting in his own
self-interest, and these insular actions highlight how throughout
his reign, he failed to uphold the Church.
One of the most well-known examples of Henry not delivering
equal and rightful justice is beheading two of his six wives, but
Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard weren’t the only ones to lose
their heads to Henry’s tyranny. Despite the 1534 Act of
Supremacy, a large proportion of the English population refused
to recognise Henry’s full authority, keeping their loyalty with God
and their Catholic church. For example, a large group of
Carthusians who refused to sign the Act of Supremacy were
locked up in the Tower of London, then dragged to their
execution. Thomas Moor was one of Henry’s closest friends and
was the only person allowed to call him “Harry”, however, this
wasn’t a ‘get out of jail free card’, as he was executed in the
Tower of London when he refused to recognise Henry as head of
the Church. Pilgrimages play a large role in the Catholic faith,
whereas they’re not recognised in the Church of England, which
irritated devout Catholics. A group of people unsatisfied with the
new irrelevance of pilgrimages in England decided to embark on
the ‘Pilgrimage of Grace’ in 1536, in which they wanted to show
their loyalty to their king while practicing their religion. Despite
their respect for Henry, over 220 of them were executed. To be
executed by Henry, you didn’t have to actively disobey his rules.
He said that he wanted to execute people with Yorkist blood, as
he believed they could be a threat to his reign, and some of the
most famous people purged by Henry for this reason were the
Duke of Buckingham and Lady Margret Pole at 67 years old.
11It is estimated that throughout his 37 year long reign, he
executed up to 57,000 people, many of whom were either
members of the clergy or ordinary citizens and nobles. This
substantiates the point that Henry once again, failed his people
by not delivering equal and rightful justice.
The third and final assertion that I will be discussing how Henry
failed to stick to it is ‘to uphold laws and customs’ Only a
totalitarian dictator would try to control the way their subjects
think... surely? The 1534 Treasons Act was an attempt from
Henry to uphold his tyranny, making it treason to write, speak,
or even think ill thoughts of the King. As for abandoning the
country’s customs, the Dissolution of Monasteries, 1536-1541,
was when Henry believed he could maximise the country's wealth
by confiscating the Church's assets so stripped Churches back to
minimalistic buildings, using the profit made to repay his debts
from war with France. Treasures of religion were lost, and books
burned. The country’s religious history was almost entirely lost.
Many religious buildings were torn down, including the
Fountains Abbey in north Yorkshire, which is now said to be
haunted by its past monks and nuns.
Ultimately, Henry failed to commit to the promises he made to
his people when crowned king in 1509 ad due to the way he
enormously let down his country, he does not deserve the respect
and honour he receives today. There were many more tragedies
than just his failed marriages.
By Gemma Jackson
12Queen Victoria: The Empress of India
Queen Victoria was declared the Empress of India in 1877 by
Benjamin Disraeli, the Conservative Prime Minister at the time.
This came after 39 years already on the throne for Queen Victoria
and after British power in India being passed onto the crown in
1858. The following occupation of India lasted until India gained
independence in 1947
and had many effects
not only in India but also
across Britain as well.
The announcement of
Victoria's new title of
Empress of India came
after the country had
already been formally
accepted into the British
Empire in 1858. The new
title was only a formality
passed in the Royal Titles act of 1876. The country was included
officially in the British empire after the British East India
Company (EIC) dissolved. They were a British trading company
which controlled many parts of the Indian subcontinent. Their
dissolution came after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 which was a
country wide mutiny against the harsh treatment of the Indians
by British people who ruling at the time. It was only suppressed
when the EIC called for reinforcements. After this major event,
the British were forced to reorganise their army and
administration in India. Queen Victoria then issued a statement
to the Indians which promised that they would have the same
rights as a British citizen living in the Empire and many Indians
later used this statement when being mistreated in the following
decades although it never had a legal constitution.
13The effects on India of this new inclusion into the Empire were
seemingly limitless. In 1857, education's importance was
increased with new universities being established in Calcutta,
Bombay and Madras. Under the Empire, the postal service
expanded rapidly with 889 post offices processing 43 million
letters and more than 4.5 million newspapers annually by 1861.
However, India's traditional Hindu and Islamic law courts were
broken under the Empire in favour of British common law which
may have caused some unrest with those used to the original
systems. The British empire also exploited the natural resources
of India such as spices, jewels and textiles which left many
people across the country in extreme poverty while those in
power lived in luxury. At the beginning of the 18th century,
India's share of the world economy was 23 percent but by the
time the British were forced out of India in 1947, it had dropped
to less than 4 percent. The push by Disraeli to convert the
country to Christianity meant that missionaries flocked to the
subcontinent which led to almost the entirety of North East India
got converted to Christianity. This meant that the unique culture,
language and lifestyle of the area faded.
Fun Fact: Queen Victoria was the longest serving
The effects of British British monarch with her reign lasting 63 years, until
rule are still being felt Queen Elizabeth II overtook her in 2015.
today by many
Indians. The colonisation led to deep-rooted and dangerous ideals
that fairer skin is more attractive. This has led to bleaching
treatments gaining popularity among women in India who are
desperate to get fairer skin. Colonisation has led to the
insecurities of thousands of women in India who undertake
sometimes dangerous treatments to achieve the ‘perfect’ look.
Some even believe that skin colour determines social status
which is undoubtedly an ideal left behind by the British rule of
the past.
In conclusion, British rule had many negative effects on India
and ones that are so deep-rooted in society that some are unable
to even recognise it which means that it will be even longer until
they are able to undo its effects. We need to be bringing more
light to this issue and attempt to undo the hazardous effects that
Britain left behind.
By Anna McDonald
14Fact file: George VI
Albert Fredrick Arthur George was born on
the 14th December 1895.
He was known as ‘Bertie’.
His Father- King George V, was very overbearing and ‘Bertie’ was
frightened of him. He was a poorly child and had a stammer. It
made people think that he wasn’t very intelligent. He lived in the
He was left-handed and was forced to write with his right hand.
shadow of his brother, David who was heir to the throne.
When he was serving for England, he finally got the respect of his
father.
In 1909 aged 13 he was sent to Navel College. Then in 1914 he
was called to serve in WW1.
Bertie was married on April 26th 1923 at Westminster Abbey to
Initially, she did not want to marry into the royal family , she
refused twice, but Bertie persisted.
Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.
Bertie was very shy and hated public speaking. In 1925 he had
Elizabeth found help and took him to a speech Therapist Lionel Logue
who helped him overcome his fear of speaking in public.
to give a speech to over 100,000 people and he hated it. In 1926
Princess Elizabeth was born, followed by Princess Margaret in
1930.
Bertie was a very different father than his father. He was very loving
and caring towards Elizabeth and Margaret.
15On the 20th January 1936 King George V died and David became
King Edward VIII. On the 11th of December 1936 he abdicated
from the throne and plunged the royal family into chaos. On the
12th May 1937 Bertie became King George VI. People did not
think he would make a good King.
The Queen consult Elizabeth had a huge impact on King George VI
and was INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.
On the 3rd September 1939 Neville Chamberlain declared war
against Germany.
Within hours of war he prepared for the biggest speech of his life. At
6 pm he went live to talk to the people who were very frightened. It is
believed to be one of the most IMPORTANT speeches ever.
In 1940, Chamberlain resigned, and Winston Churchill was
appointed the new Prime Minister of England.
The Royal Family stayed in England throughout the war- it was a
huge risk. It boosted morale and they were seen as a symbol of
hope.
A 50kg bomb hit the palace but didn’t explode and a few days later
another one hit WHICH did explode. The Bombs were so close it was a
miracle they survived.
On the 8th May 1945 war in Europe ended. The King made a
speech and the stammer was a thing of the past. King George VI
was seen as a national inspiration and a hero.
In 1951 he was diagnosed with lung cancer and had a pioneering
operation to remove one of his lungs. He died
on 6th February 1952 aged just 56. At his
funeral thousands lined the streets to pay
respect for their beloved king.
16In the queen’s speech for the 75th anniversary of VE day last year
she paid a touching tribute to her father. She had a photo of him
on her desk and talked about how he spoke about never giving up
and never despairing.
King George VI was a shy man who preferred to stay out of the
spotlight but went on to become one of the Greatest Kings in
English History
Fun Fact: King George VI competed in Wimbledon when he was a Duke in
1926.
By Reuben Roberts
17The Great British Scandal: Prince Andrew
TRIGGER WARNING: content some readers may find upsetting
Princes throughout history are known to have humility, courage and the
utmost graciousness and courtesy to all members of society, particularly
women. So why is this not the case with Prince Andrew? The Duke of York
spoke last year during a BBC interview about his friendship with the
convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. The Duke has vehemently denied
any wrongdoing; however, he has stepped back from his royal life and
duty. Prince Andrew admitted that it was a "mistake and an error" to meet
Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 after it was public knowledge that he was a
convicted sex offender. However, he has never said he regretted his
relationship with Epstein. When questioned in the BBC interview with
Emily Maitlis, the Prince failed to display any sympathy for Epstein's
victims and denied all Virginia Giuffre's claims against him.
You can watch the BBC interview here
TRIGGER WARNING: content some
viewers may find upsetting
Their friendship allegedly
began when Prince Andrew
was acquainted with Epstein
through Ghislaine Maxwell,
Epstein's girlfriend at the
time. The Prince claimed to be
much more familiar with
Ghislaine than Epstein. Despite the fact that Prince Andrew revealed that
he had stayed at numerous properties owned by Epstein, however he only
"saw him infrequently and probably no more than once or twice a year."
Even after Epstein's arrest, Prince Andrew remained taciturn about the
matter. Though, when Buckingham Palace did comment, in August
2019, Prince Andrew claimed that he did not "see, witness or suspect any
behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to [Epstein's] arrest and
conviction."
A day before Epstein's suicide, legal documents were discovered about
Epstein's criminal case, one included allegations about Prince Andrew. On
August 27th, Virginia Roberts Giuffre held a press conference about her
allegations against Prince Andrew saying "he knows exactly what he's
done, and I hope he comes clean about it." In an interview with NBC,
Giuffre said that Prince Andrew sexually abused her three times. Again,
Prince Andrew denied this.
18A photograph of him and Giuffre was a huge talking point on the BBC interview:
The photograph has
been said to have been
taken in March 2001;
yet, Prince Andrew
explicitly claims he
doesn't remember it
being taken, let alone
even meeting Giuffre,
who was 17 at the time.
She says that the
photograph was taken in
Ghislaine Maxwell's
house (Epstein's
girlfriend at the time) in
Belgravia, Central
London after a night out
at the Tramp nightclub, Mayfair. She says that she was forced to sleep with
Andrew on three occasions, including once when she was just 17. When
explaining the photograph, she said: "All of us went upstairs, and I asked Jeffrey
to snap a picture of me with the Prince. I wanted something to show my mom.".
The Duke insisted that the allegations were false, and on that day, he had taken
his daughter to Pizza Express in Woking for a party. When questioned about the
photograph, he believes that it had been fabricated, as he claims he was not
Just a few days after the "car crash” BBC interview, Prince Andrew announced he
was stepping down from all royal and public duties "for the foreseeable future".
His full statement reads:
It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances
relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein have become a major
disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many
organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty the Queen if I may step back from
public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.
I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey
Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for
his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected
and wants some form of closure. I can only hope that, in time, they will be
able to rebuild their lives. Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate
law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.
19Nevertheless, the scandal Prince Andrew has been dodging for years does
not appear to be going away. Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested on multiple
criminal charges relating to Epstein's trafficking and sexual abuse on July
2nd, 2020. U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss told reporters: "I'm not going to
comment on anyone's status in this investigation. But I would say we
would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us. We would like to
have the benefit of his statement." If the Duke were to travel to the U.S. to
testify, Epstein's victim's lawyers could and serve him with either a
subpoena (an order issued by a court that requires a person to appear in
court and testify) or a lawsuit. The royal would most likely not be shielded
by sovereign immunity. It appears Prince Andrew is playing a wait-
ing game, any testimony Maxwell gives could possibly be
incriminating forcing him to testify. Therefore, this leaves the case in the
headlines and the Prince in the eye of the continuing media storm.
By Hattie Cosgrove
20William The Conqueror: Taking Control of
England
From the moment William the Conqueror came to
power on the 25th December 1066, after having
defeated King Harold in the Battle of Hastings, he was
confronted with a need to consolidate his power and position
within Britain as King. His battle was not yet won, he’d go on to
be met with almost two decades of resistance and rebellion from
dissatisfied English opposing his reign. However, William was
insistent on the continuation of his authoritative tactics and over
the coming years he’d implement revolutionary devices into
Britain like the Feudal System and the Domesday Book to
subdue England.
The way in which he did this was undeniably brutal, the riots
which ensued from his win would be met with unhesitant
violence. The most notable of these riots being in the north of
England in 1069 which sparked William’s destructive campaigns,
known as The Harrying of the North. After William had defeated
the rioters, he still lacked trust in the English people so in the
north-east of England he commanded villages to be destroyed,
people to be killed, herds of animals and crops were burnt and
the majority of people who survived starved to death. Even in the
context of that time, this act was seen as excessively cruel and
unnecessary, but it did allow for William to take control of the
north and minimise the risk of future rebellions and he now was
really able to set about methodically implementing his systems.
William realised he himself couldn’t govern over the entirety of
Britain so instead introduced Feudalism to England, a system
already well established in Europe. This meant there was a
hierarchy, at the top was the king and in return for loyalty and
taxes he’d give land to the nobles, who would loan their land to
the knights, who would lastly loan their property to the peasants
who would work the lands. This allowed William to monitor
Britain and eventually, the Normans had almost completely
transformed the entire Anglo-Saxon aristocracy. As land was now
being increasingly distributed, a new problem arose for William,
tracking ownership of this land which led him to demand a
survey be taken.
21This survey led to the creation of the Domesday Book, created in 1086,
which contained complete records of property ownership across
Britain, in 13,418 settlements, so that William could assess the value
of his country and find out how much in taxes he was owed, along
with the written documentation to avoid disputes over this. Although
William died before he could truly see the benefits of the book, William
II had access to extensive knowledge of Britain, including owed taxes
and noblemen with wealth that would potentially pose a threat to the
throne. William had created a critical device in maintaining control
over Britain.
Along with this attempt
to dominate, William
built a multitude of
castles and reorganised
the churches in Britain.
William had his nobles
build castles to defend
themselves against the
Saxons, more than 100 motte and bailey castles were built, and it’s
said some were made in just 8 days, although exact numbers are
unclear. These castles allowed lords to patrol over their local areas as
well as acting as a physical sign of William’s constant dominance
throughout Britain. William also showed his power through the
reorganisation of the church, a very highly respected source of wisdom
at the time, as he brought men from France to be bishops and abbots
in order to replace any religious leaders who opposed him, he wanted
to ensure he could trust his religious advisors. He also built great
cathedrals and monasteries.
So overall, although William the Conqueror could not speak English
and was believed to be illiterate, he and the Normans undeniably
transformed Britain: advancing building, enhancing administration,
bringing success as warriors whilst overall establishing Britain more
than ever before as a collective, coherent nation instead of various
independent shires and under a united system of ruling that would
remain prominent in Britain for many years to come.
By Amy French
22Royal Dogs: The Queen’s Corgis
Did you know that the Queen has had at least 30 Corgis in
her lifetime. It is thought her love for corgis stems from her
childhood. When Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret were
children they were each given their own
dog that they were taught to look after
and had the responsibility of grooming
and feeding them.
However, her love for Corgis came
about from her beloved Susan, who
was a Corgi gifted to her on her 18th
birthday. Elizabeth and Susan were
extremely close and she even took Susan on her honeymoon
back in 1947. They were inseparable and she was so
devoted to her that she bred her in
order to have her still with her when
she sadly passed in 1959. To this day
all 10 generations of Corgis the
Queen has owned can be traced back
to Susan!
The Queen has always had multiple Corgis
after she found her love for them through
Susan. But British tabloids reported in 2015
that the Queen had stopped breeding her
Corgis as she was afraid they’d outlive her and
she didn’t want to leave any Corgi behind.
Therefore, she hasn’t owned a Corgi since her last, Willow,
died in 2018.
By Ellie Colquhoun-Lynn
23Meghan Markle and The British media
It is undeniable that Meghan Markle has had a tumultuous
relationship with British media.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, the Duchess and Duke of Sussex,
left the British public stunned when they announced on January 8th
2020 that they were departing their position as senior members of the
royal family.
Arguably, one of the most significant changes they made was stating
that they would no longer participate in the traditional royal press
system that grants exclusive access to a select group of UK outlets,
such as, the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, The Telegraph, the Times
and The Sun, including many more.
Their decision to remove themselves from “royal rota” coverage came
after years of ‘tone-deaf’ press coverage and editing decisions that
they feel have been biased, filled with favouritism, and callously
aimed to turn public opinion against Meghan in particular.
Perhaps some of the most shocking and unfair press involving the
Duchess of Sussex are the stories from these outlets that show a
blatant double-standard between press coverage of Meghan and her
sister-in-law Kate, the Duchess
of Cambridge. For example:
Meghan Markle, a biracial woman,
being disproportionately criticised for
the very things that affluent, white
Kate Middleton was praised and
admired for shows the British
media’s out-right prejudice, which is
upsetting yet not surprising.
24In 2016, Prince Harry put out a statement condemning “the
outright sexism and racism of social media” and “the racial
undertones of comment pieces” that Markle had already been
subjected to. For example, the press has talked about her “exotic
DNA”; describing her as “(almost) straight outta Compton”.
However, commentators across the country seem to have
conveniently missed all of this
whilst claiming the coverage of
Meghan has been welcoming
and amiable, but when they are
confronted with the evidence
which proves this false, they
shamelessly ask: Is it really
racism though?
Some, like Piers Morgan, have
fervently argued it is not racist
to talk about the Duchess’s
DNA as “exotic”, although this Piers Morgan
is exactly the kind of blinding
ignorance from the press that allows racism to operate in the UK,
undermining the notion that our country is “tolerant” and
“progressive”.
It is clear that a deciding factor in the couple’s exit from this
poisonous limelight is due to the perceived racism that Meghan
was unfortunately subject to leading us to question the apparent
anti-racist country we live in.
By Emilia McMonagle
25The overlooked triumphs of Queen consorts
Queen consorts (the term for wives of the reigning king) are often
regarded as merely there to birth heirs and be the King’s devoted wife.
However historically, many queen consorts have taken on responsibility
and achieved feats within their own right. I will be highlighting just 3 of
the many women who deserve more recognition for what they
accomplished in a patriarchal society in which women were not seen as
capable of leadership.
Eleanor of Aquitaine- Eleanor of Aquitaine was perhaps the
most powerful woman in 12th-century Europe. She ruled as
regent of England from 1154-63 whilst her husband Henry II
was away in battle securing his French lands. When her
son, Richard the Lionheart, was away crusading she became
regent of England once more. A regent meant that Eleanor
was simply appointed to temporarily rule until the ‘real’
monarchs returned. However, Eleanor went above what was
expected of her and showed her capability as a leader when
she settled disputes between religious figures and became a dominant figure at
the great council meetings. Eleanor’s biggest achievement as regent was her
reaction to the threat of John- her youngest son attempting to take the throne of
Richard. Not only did Eleanor, now of 70 years old, stop him securing a French
alliance with King Phillip, but she made battle preparations by fortifying the
beaches in case of a French invasion. Although Eleanor never obtained the
luxury of ruling alone as Elizabeth I and Victoria did, she essentially was a
Queen in her own right regardless of her actual title.
Elizabeth of York-Elizabeth of York, through her sacrifice,
managed to successfully end the civil war between the Houses
of Lancaster and York that had divided England for 30 years in
the 15th Century. She managed to unite both warring families
when she married the Lancastrian Henry Tudor and set aside
any future she may have been expecting to become the first
Tudor Queen. It was solely down to Elizabeth that normality
could be restored to England as she became the mother of the new Tudor
dynasty. Her devotion to her family far exceeded the expectations of a Queen
consort when she taught a young Henry VIII personally. Furthermore, being
charitable was a part of a queen consort’s job but she made it her passion to
help the very needy. It’s said no one left the queen’s audience without some
financial compensation- despite her being in debt due to her husband controlling
her finances very closely.
26Philippa of Hainault - Philippa of Hainault was a
capable regent when her husband was away
warring in 1346. She was not just Edward III’s
spouse; she was an advisor and a trusted co-ruler.
Unconventionally for a Queen consort, she
accompanied Edward on his expeditions to
Scotland and the European continent in his early
campaigns of the Hundred Years War. When King
David II of Scotland (aided by the French)
attempted to invade England in Edward’s absence,
the queen summoned the troops and personally
rallied the English soldiers before the battle of
Neville’s Cross, which led to an English victory.
She was also known for her kindness and
restraint, frequently pleading for the lives of those
who had been sentenced to die. Her most famous example of her kindness
is when she convinced her husband to spare the lives of the Burghers of
Calais in 1347. Despite being pregnant, she begged on her knees for him
to spare the men. Without Philippa’s constant input on Edward’s snap
judgments, he would have probably been remembered more for brutality
than kingship. Furthermore, an example of the queen's intelligence is that
The Queen’s College in the University of Oxford was founded by one of her
chaplains in honour of Phillipa due to her dedication to education.
By Jess Salmon Fun Fact: Only 31 countries have some sort of
monarchy today.
27James II
Background-
James II was born on 14 October 1633 and died
16 September 1701. His parents were King
Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of
France. He was the last Catholic King and the
last Stuart King in the direct line. He inherited
the throne in 1685 from his elder brother
Charles II. James II had two daughters with his
first wife Anne Hyde, Mary II (who was married to William of Orange)
and Anne who both went on to be Queen. He then had a son, James
Edward, with his second wife Mary of Moderna.
Reign-
On April 23, 1685, James was crowned at Westminster Abbey and
took the name of James II as King of England and Ireland, and of
James VII as King of Scotland. In May, the new Parliament proved
favourable to the sovereign and assigned the same income as his
predecessor. The Kings most trusted advisor was the Count of
Sunderland.
He soon faced a rebellion known as the Monmouth rebellion, it was led
by James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, the illegitimate son of Charles II,
and Archibald Campbell, the Count of Argyll. The attack was divided;
Argyll acted in Scotland and Monmouth acted in London. Argyll and
Monmouth were both defeated by James II and both of them were
sentenced to death.
The Glorious Revolution 1688
James II converted to Roman Catholicism before inheriting the throne
and his placement of Catholic allies in high positions in the court and
army coupled with the birth of his catholic son, alarmed the Anglican
establishment. They decided to invite the Protestant William of
Orange and his wife, James' daughter Mary II, to invade and depose
him. They were successful in removing him from the throne and the
revolution resulted in Parliament being permanently established as
the ruling power of England.
By Bella Charlton
28The Commonwealth - A Relic of Imperialism or A
Harmonious Family of Nations?
The final lines of Percy Shelley’s great sonnet
“My name is Ozymandias, ‘Ozymandias’ teach us that civilisation is a fragile
King of Kings; and brittle thing and, though however strong and
omnipotent it may seem, it can easily fall and sink
Look on my Works, ye
into the endless barrens of time, leaving only its
Mighty, and despair!
desolated edifices behind.
Nothing beside remains.
Round the decay The British Empire was the largest empire this
Of that colossal Wreck,
world has ever seen. It far surpassed the great
boundless and bare
Roman Empire and fierce Mongol Empire; it was a
towering entity which oversaw some great victories,
The lone and level sands but at the terrible cost of millions of lives. But now,
stretch far away.” much like our dear friend Ozymandias, it seems a
relic of past times and is scarcely talked about. We
can say with some certainty that it took its last
dying breath some decades ago and is now resting
peacefully in the pages of history. However, some
may argue that it still lives on in some pseudo-imperialist form, this form being
the Commonwealth. One might argue that the Commonwealth is, metaphorically,
the statue of Ozymandias and serves only as a crumbling relic of the past. Whilst
others may disagree stating that the Commonwealth is a unifying community of
nations working together for ‘prosperity, democracy and peace’. It is certainly a
complicated and multifaceted issue, and if we wish to understand it, we must
The Commonwealth began in 1887 when all the leaders of the dominions of the
British Empire (dominion meaning a semi-independent country but still largely
controlled by Britain) met and held their first meeting. Four decades later at their
meeting in 1926 they agreed that they were all equal members of a community
within the British Empire. They all owed allegiance to the British king or queen,
but the United Kingdom did not rule over them. This community was called the
British Commonwealth of Nations. Following a couple of developments, most
notably the creation of the Republic of India in 1950, they dropped the ‘British’
and the ‘Commonwealth’ was born. Only a couple years into this new birth it
seemed in danger of becoming irrelevant, with the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis and
Britain having significantly more involvement with Europe, the commonwealth
was starved on attention. In addition to this one of the key parts and attractions
of the Commonwealth was the freedom members had to immigrate between
countries, this was soon heavily restricted, and many were quickly realizing that
they had been, as the director for the Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Professor Phillip Murphy writes, “robbed of the tangible benefits that
Commonwealth membership had previously been associated with it’’. This,
though, was soon saved by a heroic and inspiring crusade in the 1970’s to help
put a stop to the vicious South African Apartheid Movement, which
re-established the Commonwealth as this charismatic and progressive political
force. 29However, one could argue that the Commonwealth is the statue of Ozymandias
and but a derelict artefact of past times. The Commonwealth was founded by
‘dominions’ of the empire,
the head of the Commonwealth is Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, and
historically it was an outgrowth of the British Empire. There are perfect grounds
to argue that the Commonwealth is but a pseudo-empire, masking itself in the
façade of being a ‘community’.
But in reality and on closer inspection, although it had its roots in colonialism it
has far transcended them, I believe it is a wonderful force for good in the world
and it represents a family of nations striving for ‘prosperity, democracy and
peace’. I’m sure that the Empire’s Ozymandias is still standing half sunken in the
barrens of some desolate waste land, and I can say with some certainty that it is
not the Commonwealth.
By Jay Palombella
30Queen Elizabeth II: Is She Truly The “Ultimate Feminist” ?
Not only is Queen Elizabeth II the most powerful woman in
Britain, but she is also one of the most inspiring women in the
world. Her reign has outlasted all other British monarchs, as well
as most other world leaders. On September 9th, 2015, Queen
Elizabeth surpassed Victoria’s record reign of 63 years and 216
days. She is often described as a ‘feminist icon’ by many. In order
to consider her as such, we must first consider what it means to
be a feminist. A feminist is a person who supports the social,
economic, and political equality of sexes. The question is: can she
be considered a feminist purely based on the title she holds? Or
is it her actions
and beliefs that
define her as
such?
Now, if we are to
judge her role as
a feminist based
on her political
position, then we
should consider
the fact that the crown also makes her a symbol of inequality.
The British monarchy, historically, is responsible for countless
acts of oppression. It is more important to give weight to the
actions and beliefs of Queen Elizabeth, rather than her title.
When Princess Elizabeth, as she was at the time, turned 18 in
1944, she insisted upon joining the Army, where she trained as a
truck driver and mechanic. It is important to note that she
remains the only female member of the royal family to have
served in the Army. Politically, her actions as monarch have been
described as ‘sneakily feminist’. Though this could be an
indication of a lack of action, it could also be seen as highlighting
the difficulties she may have faced when trying to make progress.
In 2011, the Queen oversaw a major change to succession laws
as agreed by the leaders of the 16 Commonwealth countries that
meant sons and daughters of any future British monarch would
have equal rights to the throne.
31At the time, Prince William had recently married Catherine. This
change would have meant that their firstborn child would still be
third in the line of succession to the British throne, regardless of
gender. In terms of social impact, Queen Elizabeth II has had an
astounding impact on female empowerment: the queen has
landed in the top five Most Admired Women more than 50 times
since Gallup started their annual survey in 1948. Most notably,
when King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited her in Balmoral, the
Queen insisted on giving him a tour in her Land Rover. Up until
2018, it was illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia, making
this interaction quite the power move.
All things considered, I would argue that, although Queen
Elizabeth II most definitely has the key attributes of a feminist,
she may not be deserving of the title “the ultimate feminist”.
Undoubtedly, she is a symbol of female power, proving that a
woman can effectively rule at a time when it was practically
unheard of. However, I would hesitate to call her much more
than a figurehead. In my opinion, the “ultimate feminist” would
be someone who actively advocates for equal rights. Considering
her political position, the Queen has had the power to make great
progress for 68 crucial years, yet she seems to have achieved so
little.
By Sacha Jones
Fun Fact: Buckingham Palace was built in 1703 as Buckingham House,
it was bought by George III for Queen Charlotte.
32Edward and Mrs Simpson: The Scandals
Edward VIII, Prince of Wales and eldest son of George V & Queen Mary,
was the first monarch in British history to voluntarily abdicate from the
throne. The reason? Love. Wallis Simpson, an American Socialite, is
responsible for one of the biggest scandals in the British royal family.
But this scandal erupted a whole new speculation.
In 1936, after the death of his father, Edward VIII became the King of
England. 5 years before he was King, Edward had fallen in love with an
American woman who was formerly divorced and currently married.
During the 5 years leading up to the moment he
would be named king, their relationship grew, and
she became the woman he wanted to marry. A
previously divorced American woman in the royal
family would’ve put their image, and the image of the
UK, in ruins. Therefore, Edward, desperate to follow
his heart, was blocked by the demands of the
sovereignty and therefore could not pursue his
interest in Mrs. Simpson anymore. Or, could he?
Edward and Wallis had the intent on getting married,
but like all royal marriages, the King or Queen had to
approve. With this duty now in his hands, Edward had to choose between his
family or his love. Edward was a King that had great respect from the public. His
affair with Mrs. Simpson was reported in American and continental European
newspapers, but due to a gentlemen’s agreement between the British press and
the government, the affair was kept out of British newspapers. Not only did his
decision have impact on his life and the royal family, but it also impacted the
image of Britain.
On October 27th, 1936, Mrs. Simpson obtained a preliminary decree of divorce,
presumably with the intent of marrying the king, which provoked a major
scandal. Debates amongst MPs and official representative of the Church of
England became increasingly intense as it became more and more likely that
Edward would marry Mrs Simpson. The country was in a state of disagreement.
Should he be given the freedom to do what he wants? Or should he respect the
policies of the crown? After numerous attempts of persuasion from British
Politicians, Edward still had the intention to marry Mrs. Simpson. Edward
suggested that their marriage could be morganatic, meaning she wouldn’t be
given any titles or property. On December 2nd, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin
disapproved this and stated that it would be impractical. With his desire to be
married stronger than his need to be King, Edward announced his abdication via
a radio broadcast on December 10th. The throne was therefore passed on to his
brother, George VI. 33Listen to his abdication speech here
https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/december/
edward-viii-abdication-speech
The Aftermath of the Abdication
Edwards title of “Prince of Wales” was removed and he was instead given the
title, “Duke of Windsor”. And on June 3rd, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor
were married in Mont’s, France, by a Church of England clergyman, with zero
royal family members present. The absence of the royals made it clear to the
public that they had been declared outcasts. The life of the Duke of Windsor was
targeted by all major tabloids, his abdication threw him into the limelight. But
not only did the British do this, some Germans did too. The abdication scandal
occurred during the growing speculation that World War II was inevitable. The
Duke and Duchess were heavily criticised by the papers after their marriage due
to a tour of continental Europe. Edward and Wallis made some acquaintances
that did hold the same British values a member of the Royal family was expected
to rely on, the Nazis.
The British Royal Family are descended from Germany, it was during WWI
when they changed their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to “Windsor”.
Unlike the rest of the royals, Edward had a strong relationship with his
cousins from the East, therefore he strongly embraced the German culture.
When Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party began its rise to power in the late
1920s and early 1930s, many in Europe, Edward included, applauded the
economic recovery of war-torn Germany. Edward, and
many hierarchal powers in the government, were
becoming more open to the idea of fascism. Edward
himself once told his German cousin, “Dictators are very
popular these days. We might want one in England before
long.”
Edwards support for British fascists, such as MP Sir
Oswald Mosely, and the new German sentiment, made
him a target for the British intelligence organisation, MI5.
Their phones were tapped, and members of their Scotland
Yard security team were tapped to provide information
about the king they were once charged with protecting.
Edward had been seen with members of the Nazi party,
including Joseph Goebbels and Hermann Göring, on
numerous occasions. He even visited Hitler himself in the
Bavarian Alps, however the transcript of their conversation was lost. Edwards
relationship with them was so prominent, they involved him in the scandal,
that did not occur, of overthrowing the British throne.
34Edwards relationship with the far-right German group may have proven to the
royal family, and the public who once held great admiration for him, that his
abdication was the best thing for the country. Did this relationship bloom
because he was shunned out of the family? His memoirs describe Hitler as a
“somewhat ridiculous figure” but others have claimed he has referred to Hitler as
“not such a bad chap”. What were Edwards true beliefs on Hitler? Edward was
involved in some of the biggest scandals of the Royals. It makes you wonder,
what would life be like today if Edward didn’t abdicate for the woman he loved?
That is something we will never know.
Charlotte Wood Fun Fact: There have been 61 monarchs of England,
but only 12 of the UK since it formed in 1707.
35Diana : The People’s Princess
Princess Diana was by no doubt one
of the most popular members of the
royal family , being dubbed the
‘People’s Princess’ by the nation for
her efforts into humanitarian work ,
showing her support for the
homeless, disabled and AIDS
patients; being part of 100 different
organizations to provide relief for
many. One of the main contributions
to being loved by the public was how
despite being a Princess in one of the
most prestigious families in the
world , she remained like a ‘normal’
person, openly expressing her
opinions and talking about her own
mental health struggles, including
bulimia, where normally this would
be considered quite a taboo topic.
This openness about mental illness
caused the press to name it the
‘Diana Effect’ –so the shift in public awareness about these topics by Diana
meant that women found it easier to identify with Diana, if a Princess in
the royal family could be bulimic then so could they, likewise if Diana
overcame her eating disorder, so could they. This created a positive
domino effect in society as it seemed to destigmatize the previously
frowned upon mental conditions.
So if Diana had such a positive input on people, why was it that she was
treated as an outcast in her own family?
In the years leading up to her fatal car crash in Paris, 1997 , Diana was
becoming increasingly distant and disapproving by the royal family with
almost every newspaper headline being centred on her, the press seemed
to take note of her every move with Diana describing herself as a ‘good
product that sits on a shelf , you sell well , and people make a lot of money
out of you’ , on multiple occasions she expressed how exhausted she was
becoming.
36Diana was likely disliked for her consistent
disregard of royal protocol , her most famous
rebel being the outfit she wore in the light of
Prince Charles’ infidelity which massively broke
royal dress code. This defiance drove her closer
to the public eye but further from her own
family and husband. Queen Elizabeth never
openly criticized Diana , yet made it quite clear
that she was very disapproving of her
‘unprofessional’ behaviour, surprisingly the
Queen being the one who ordered for a formal
divorce between Charles and Diana rather than
continuing their married separation which
shocked many as divorces in the royal family
aren’t a typically approved thing.
Ultimately , the life and death of Diana will probably always remain
somewhat of a mystery , from what made Charles cheat on her to what
really happened at her death. Yes , it was a fatal car accident but many
conspiracies point to it being more than just an accident, it’s likely that
we’ll never know. For now , we have the legacy of Diana’s time as Princess
through her children , Prince Harry and William who are constantly
making efforts to support the same causes that their mother did, from
Mental Health to global issues ; starvation , outbreaks and water shortages
in suffering countries etc…
By Poppy Harris
37King Charles I
Date of birth: King Charles I was born on November 19 1600.
Religion: Protestant
Parents: James VI Of Scotland and Anne Of Denmark
Year he got the throne: 1625
Charles I was married to a Catholic which made his subjects suspicious
and Puritans worried that his wife may influence his decisions to do with
religion. Between 1625 and 1629, Charles dissolved Parliament three
times. King Charles believed he had a ‘God given right’ to rule – he was an
absolutist monarch. Charles was becoming increasingly unpopular.
King Charles I attempted to force a new prayer book on Scotland but they
refused so Charles recalled Parliament for money to fight them. In
November 1641, tensions were raised further with disagreements over who
should command an army to suppress an uprising in Ireland. Charles then
marched into Parliament with troops and attempted to arrest five MPs who
criticised him. But Parliament had helped them to flee. In August 1642,
Charles I raised the royal standard at Nottingham and the English Civil
War began.
The Royalists (Charles) lost to the Parliamentarians due to Parliament’s
improved New Model Army. The king’s army lost and he fled to the Isle of
Wight in 1647. After the ‘Second Civil War,’ which Parliament won again,
Charles was put on trial for treason. He was found guilty and executed on
30 January 1649 outside the Banqueting House on Whitehall, London.
By Jake Sands
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