Royal Review: Elizabeth at 90 - A Family Tribute

Elizabeth at 90 is a special tribute to Queen Elizabeth on her 90th birthday. Featuring rarely seen footage of the Queen through her childhood to being a young mother and monarch, Elizabeth at 90 provides a personal glimpse of the Queen through her family. Various members of the royal family contributed to the special, including the Prince of Wales, Prince William, Prince Harry, Lady Sarah Chatto, the Duke of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Queen Margarethe of Denmark, the Queen's first cousin, Margaret Rhodes and most significantly, the Queen herself. In her entire reign, she has never given an interview, so it is a rare treat to listen to her asides about the footage.

A very enjoyable special. Make sure you enjoy it while it is still online!





© Marilyn Braun 2016

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

A Royal Birthday is like Christmas for fans and critics alike

Embed from Getty Images

Happy 90th Birthday Your Majesty!

On par with royal weddings, births and deaths, a significant birthday is like Christmas for fans and critics alike. The perfect occasion for royal correspondents and armchair royal experts to provide best wishes and uncritical commentary. For critics it is a valuable opportunity to get their point across on a high profile scale. For politicians a chance to provide loyal addresses to be quoted in future. In between the saccharine greetings and parade raining tweets, I would like to take a moment to reflect on this occasion.

Along with holding records for the longest reign and marriage, she also holds the record for oldest British monarch. Today she has become the first monarch to ever reach the age of 90. At this rate, if she keeps going, she will be sending herself a 100th birthday card. The Queen can comfortably rest on these laurels, safe in the knowledge that no one will ever come close to surpassing her. To the Queen it seems to be business as usual. Unveiling plaques, lighting beacons and cutting cakes is just another day at the office for her. When she surpassed Queen Victoria, she put the occasion into perspective:

"Inevitably a long life can pass by many milestones - my own is no exception - but I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness."

The Queen will no doubt express the same sentiment today and people will laud her all the more for it. With her unquestioned dedication, the Queen has more than earned the respect she is given. No matter how valid their opinions may be, critics cannot dampen the Queen's universal appeal without making themselves look bad. As the Queen well knows, it is easy to get caught up in the occasion. Best to wait until the hyperbole has died down before making a comment that won't fall on deaf ears.

Unless you want your message to get drowned out, today, (April 21, 2016) is not the day to talk about how the monarchy is wrong in principle and has no place in the modern age. How undemocratic the system is and how there is no guarantee that the monarchy is safe and secure for the foreseeable future. Be patient and wait until the bunting has cleared. Your time will come.

© Marilyn Braun 2016

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

The enduring fascination with Catherine Cambridge's skirt

Never in the history of royal watching have we ever been so fascinated by another woman's skirt. Yes, we talk about the length and color of Catherine's clothes, marveling when the outfits sell out. We also discuss what we seen/don't see when said skirt get blown up in the wind. As was the case with Catherine as she stood with Prince William at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the war memorial in New Delhi.

*Clutches pearls*

Catherine's skirt has blown up! Let's write articles and dissect the moment. Let's keep a running tally while we're at it. Use it as another example of Catherine's seeming stubborn refusal to invest in wind defying skirts that are chic, affordable and stylish for the rest of us. Why can't she weigh her hems down? Is she an exhibitionist? Let's speculate on that too. Forget the purpose of the solemn moment or the visit in general. It all boils down to how Catherine looks and what she is wearing. That's a completely different article altogether.

Were it any other woman: mother, daughter, sister, close friend, co-worker, we would likely be sympathetic. It happens to the best of us at some point, no? We would not dare to make comments on a public forum when it comes to those closest to us. That would be inappropriate and bitchy. There is no way to positively spin shaming another woman. No way. There is nothing constructive about it, it does not add value and doing so will not lead to the greater good of women everywhere. As a matter of fact it will to the opposite.

So the next time another woman has a public wardrobe malfunction, show some respect. You will be grateful for that response when it happens to you.

© Marilyn Braun 2016

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.