#polo models london

[sunshineandlyrics]

The All Of Those Voices power stance 💙

[artnlife2]

Naomi Campbell and Tyson Beckford for POLO SPORT....

[royalteachitchat]

Wow! 👏👏👏 JDEadonWriter on X, put this amazing post out today. Check this out!

Are Meghan Markle's kids FAKE? 🤔

Megnant

1 Size: Bump drastically altering in size, even in a single day 😯

2 Slip: Bump slipped down to her knees in Birkenhead, UK 😯

3 Wobble: Bump wobbled side-to-side as she crossed the street. 😯

4 Clutching: Supporting her bump with her hands overly often. 🤔

5 Popping: audibly popped in a video, and wafted her clothes😯

6 Shape: Bump unnaturally shaped on Netflix🤔

7 Straps: Moonbump straps outlines visible under clothing in several photos. And something snapped, impacting the clothing fabric (video of H&M in London)😯

8 Biology: An absence of swelling of ankles, and other subtle biological (non)signs.🤔

9 Holding: Carrying a (doll?) infant on her bump, instead of on her hip.🤔

10 Squats: Squatting, effortlessly, with her knees together in videos and photos. In heels.😯

Births

11 Announcements: Royal official birth announcements are indirect. One states they are delighted "by the news of the" (not by the actual) birth.🤔

12 Coverup? A medic who certified a birth closed down her practice shortly afterwards.😯

13 Certificates: Questions linger over the birth certificates signatures, etc.🤔

14 Leak: An official Royal twitter account tweet indicated that Meghan’s kids are fake, before being taken down. An innocent prank?😁

15 Recovery: Epidural (ouch!) birth in a bath description anomalies and arriving home too soon afterwards to be quite plausible.🤔

16 Born Of Body?: Meghan allegedly told a friend she was infertile, when at college, and there was a reported alleged hysterectomy before the births.

17 Silence: Meghan is silent on her claimed births, despite always flashing her bump; having a "Capacity for over sharing"; boasting about being a “Mom”, and always talking about herself (apparently) on her feminist podcast. 🤔

Rented Infants

18 Archie Model: The real parents of the infant predominantly shown in Archie photos are identified. 💥

19 Lilibet Model: Parents of the infant shown in Lilibet photos are identified.💥

20 Loan: Mother of “Lilibet” commented on Insta that she does not "loan" her daughter to Meghan any longer.😯

21 Shape-Shifting: Different infants used in photos of both Archie and Lilibet.😯

22 Photoshopping: A litany of incompetently-photoshopped “family” photos. (A huge topic in itself).🤔

Dolls

23 Reborn Doll: Seemingly cradling a doll (a product called Darren) in official photo of Archie 🪆

24 Party Doll: Meghan seemingly cradled a similar doll when gate-crashing a polo match party, begetting astonished looks.😯

25 Bumpy Ride: Meghan seemed to be lugging an inanimate doll on top of her bump through some woods in Canada. Whilst grinning at a hired pap.🪆

26 Twisted: In one photograph, Archie's head is twisted more than 90 degrees 🪆

27 Carrying: A high % of photographs show them carrying the “kids” 🪆

28 Backs-Turned: A high % of Photos are of kids facing away from the camera 🤔

Other Oddities

29 Website: A startling absence of updates of Royal website on Meghan’s offspring.🤔

30 Bishop: Los Angeles christening cleric was not the official Bishop the Harkles claimed he was.🤔

31 Implausible Platitudes: Claiming Archie’s first word was “Crocodile”, and that he demands a Leica camera for his birthday. As tots do...🤔

32 Merch: An uncharacteristic unwillingness to merchandise their kids, for $$$ or PR.🤔

33 Invisible: The Harkles are never seen with their kids. There are hints of "home schooling" (will they ever be allowed out?)😯

34 Family Holidays: Weirdly, the Harkles never take their kids on holiday, and, if they pretend they did, they incompetently photoshop them into pap snaps on Insta.🤔

35 Everything Else: All the stuff I overlooked in this hastily speed-typed list.🤔

🤔🤔🤔

Why does it matter? 🤔

Because rich Prince Harry wants we skint, long-suffering tax payers, to pay for his security expenses; he’s a traitor, and, well, it’s fraud, isn’t it? 💥

Feel free to leave evidence I missed out in the comments. 👍

#MeghanMarkleIsAGrifter

#MeghanMarkleExposed

#WhereAreTheKids

#sussexbabyscam

[ravenadottir]

islanders' data and anecdotes if they were honest:

SEASON 1

❝ main character ❞ she's the only one that makes any sense

❝ allegra ❞ 24, swansea, cocktail entrepreneur, the public loves to hate her

❝ erikah ❞ 20, norwich, jobbing actor, she changes, every guy will be the love of her life until a new guy comes around

❝ jen ❞ 22, london, fashion blogger, the equivalent of a piece of paper until she couples up with someone for clout

❝ talia ❞ 23, watford, music journalist, she's the only one everyone agrees is the best person here

❝ jake wilson ❞ 29, preston, chef, chicken shit that waits way too long to say something

❝ mason❞ 24, romford, musician and underwear model, if "this could've been an email" was a person

❝ miles ❞ 22, glasgow, carpenter, not interesting enough to remember. also tattoo

❝ tim ❞ 23, truro, dj, alright, we'll allow it

❝ jasper ❞ 26, kingston, financial advisor, straight to the bin

❝ levi ❞ 26, manchester, professional water polo player, sock balls

❝ rohan ❞ 23, wolverhampton, psychology student, he joined the villa and that's pretty close to the circus. also, see "injustice"

❝ cherry❞ 20, suffolk, west end performer, try hard

❝ reese taylor ❞ 22, birmingham, newsagent by day, professional wrestler at weekends, revolting lack of personality

❝ sammi ❞ 22, london, graphic designer and artist, the definition of 'wasted potential"

❝ lucy ❞ 25, bristol, “adventurer”, *snake sounds*

❝ returning miles ❞ 22, glasgow, carpenter, we still don't care

❝ returning jasper ❞ 22, kingston, financial advisor, at least we found out he has a pet snake

SEASON 2

❝ hope ❞ 26, london, brand ambassador, '‘voted “most likely to be the center of the drama because she puts herself there"

❝ lottie ❞ 24, melbourne, makeup artist, i have one personality trait and that's all you're gonna get

❝ main character ❞ she should change her name to 'girl #5'

❝ hannah ❞ 21, st. albans, social media assistant, she went home really soon because she was so shy, we're sure that's not gonna bite anyone in the face

❝ marisol ❞ 24, portsmouth, law student, talks too much/says nothing at all

❝ gary rennell ❞ 23, chatham, crane operator, SLUT

❝ noah ❞ 25, romford, librarian, QUIET SLUT

❝ rocco ❞ 21, belfast, owns a “cocktails and cronuts” food truck, LYING SLUT

❝ ibrahim ❞ 22, birmingham, gold player, SHY SLUT

❝ bobby mckenzie ❞ 24/26, glasgow, hospital caterer, does impressions and bakes some stuff

❝ priya ❞ 29, manchester, estate agent, should've noticed she's bi during the fucking season

❝ henrik ❞ 23, isle of wight, climbing and wilderness survival instructor, shiny and dumb/smooth brain/nothing behind those eyes

❝ lucas koh ❞ 27, oxford, physiotherapist, yes

❝ chelsea ❞ 23, buckinghamshire, interior decorator, there's pink and there's champagne

❝ jakub zabinski ❞ 25, rochdale, personal trainer and fitness model, real life mutant ninja turtle but like white

❝ elijah ❞ 26, watford, hairdresser and model, he's there and then he's not

❝ felix ❞ 21, rotherham, nightclub promoter, annoying little cousin that grows up to be the annoying little virgin at the club

❝ kassam ❞ 26, new castle, techno dj, if you blink you might miss him

❝ graham ❞ 23, devon, commercial fisherman, ginger thanos

❝ arjun ❞ 24, norwich, dog groomer and influencer, "where's my hug?" kind of guy

❝ carl ❞ 29, dublin, tech entrepreneur, he's almost learning how not to sound like a robot

❝ shannon ❞ 24, dublin, professional poker player, "you'll forgive how annoying she can be because of her body"tactics, players, poker analogies all the time"

❝ blake ❞ 22, kensington, if you blink you won't miss her because she's so goddamn annoying

❝ elisa ❞ 22, london, social media influencer, the human form of a gear shift because of all the blame she shifts

❝ jo ❞ 23, cheshire, bmx racer, was here for only three days and it was still too long

❝ returning henrik ❞ 23, isle of wight, climbing and wilderness survival instructor, absolutely not the same person and it gets worse

❝ returning lucas ❞ 27, oxford, still a physiotherapist, "toxic fucks"

❝ returning hannah ❞ now 22, st. albans, she resented lottie so much she became her

[women-throughout-history]

Gayatri Devi

Gayatri Devi, born on May 23, 1919, in London, United Kingdom, was a prominent figure in Indian royalty, politics, and fashion. She was the third Maharani consort of Jaipur from 1940 to 1949 through her marriage to Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II. She has left a significant impact on the cultural and political landscape of India. Gayatri Devi was a trailblazer in Indian politics. In the 1962 parliamentary election, she achieved a historic victory, securing the largest majority vote of any candidate. A member of the Swatantra Party, she served as a prominent critic of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government during her 12-year political career. Despite facing political challenges, including imprisonment during the Emergency in 1975, she remained steadfast in her commitment to public service. Her commitment to women's empowerment extended beyond politics. She established schools in Jaipur, including the Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls School, providing education to thousands of girls and women. Her passion for education was evident in her efforts to promote the first steps of development through learning. An avid sports woman, she excelled in polo and shooting, reflecting her adventurous spirit. She was also known for her love of automobiles and was credited with bringing the first W126 model to India.  Maharani Gayatri Devi was listed as one of Vogue's 10 most beautiful women. Crediting her mother as her style inspiration, she said, “she was one of the most fashionable, most independent and most modern Maharanis ever. She always knew the best places to buy anything and she shopped all over the world.” Gayatri was known for her signature chiffon saris, crafted in Lyon, France, which were adorned with pearls and emeralds.  After retiring from politics, Gayatri Devi spent her later years in a quiet life on her large estate, engaging in hobbies and leisure. She passed away on July 29, 2009, due to paralytic ileus and a lung infection

https://www.financialexpress.com/life/lifestyle-meet-gayatri-devi-the-maharani-of-jaipur-who-started-the-trend-of-chiffon-sarees-know-the-politician-who-is-a-passionate-rider-and-a-social-worker-3229152/ (shows images of gayatri) https://books.google.co.in/books/about/A_Princess_Remembers.html?id=5CoWAQAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y (her autobiography)

[saintmeghanmarkle]

The Merchant of Wellington - a fashion ramble by u/Mickleborough

The Merchant of Wellington - a fashion ramble The world’s abuzz with the news that Meghan wore a (gasp) backless dress at a Sentebale dinner after Harry played his rigged game at the National Polo Centre in Wellington, Florida.Baby got backI don’t know why she swallowed that fly…Props to Meghan for finding the best angle to show off her ‘Hudson’ dress by unknown Australian label St Agni - completely hidden. (Antipodean Sinners to correct me if St Agni‘s worn by the best people.)Miracle of the HudsonImagine what the front would’ve looked like on Meghan:When asymmetric decides halfway to become halter neck. It looks like a wonky apron you’d wear to make American Rivetted Orthodontia strawberry jum.The back‘s quite…interesting.Look back in perplexity.The aim seems to be to look as if you’ve wearing only a skirt. Titillating! This means the front’s like a large bib. But St Agni’s paid attention to detail: little straps to prevent side boob! Function, not fashion - but as long as side boobs aren’t visible, elegance probably isn’t a concern. And we’ll overlook the lumpy neck halter.Personally I think glimpses of flesh is sexier - hint, not broadcast. Here’s an example:Seen at the London premiere of the James Bond film Spectre in 2015Slow boat from ChinaMeghan’s dress is definitely mid-priced at £350 / $435 / €406. Taking a leave from the Princess of Wales’s book; finance issues; trying to appear relatable; promoting a freebie? Can’t imagine Meghan voluntarily buying a dress of this origin:lMeghan clearly chooses not to wear Dior couture - costing around £69,000 / $85,000 / €80,000 apiece - but prefers to support the Chinese clothing industry. St Agni Code of Conduct indeed. NB Sh supposedly wore vintage Dior costume jewellery earrings.So - hit or miss?An observation This photo of Meghan in her Heidi Merrick halter neck reminds me of a poor man’s Leeloo*.Signature crease alert. Not that bloody Love bracelet again. My friend has one - takes it off every night, so it can be done.* Leeloo:Milla Jovovich in the film The Fifth Element. To be fair, Jovovich was a fashion model, and she’s wearing Jean Paul Gaultier. post link: https://ift.tt/qp7PSdh author: Mickleborough submitted: April 20, 2024 at 01:38AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[ingek73]

Prince Harry’s Dior Shirt Is a Perfect Example of His New Laid-Back California-Inspired Style

Prince Harry stepped out in London wearing one of Meghan Markle's favorite brands.

By LOUISA BALLHAUS

Prince Harry Attends High Court Hearing In Privacy Lawsuit - Day Four

Belinda Jiao/Getty Images

It’s a big week for celebrity court fashion! While Gwyneth Paltrow dominates the conversation around her skiing trial with a series of runway-worth “stealth wealth” looks, Prince Harry is across the pond rocking some subtly high-end duds of his own to another set of legal proceedings. Harry is currently visiting the UK for a hearing on his lawsuit against Associated Newspapers for illegal information gathering, and while he’s been modeling similar variations of the same sleek, low-key suits all week, his particular choice of shirt on Thursday, March 30, caught followers’ eyes.

Photos from Harry leaving the High Court in London show the former royal’s jacket blown open enough that you can see a bee logo on his white collared shirt, identifying it as Dior. The Dior bee shirt is a cotton poplin dress shirt with a bee embroidered in 18-carat gold thread, finished with mother-of-pearl Dior signature buttons and a shirt-tail hem, available on the Dior website for $1,000. It’s also a perfect symbol of Harry’s new laid-back approach to fashion since moving to California.

During his time in the royal family, Harry had to abide by strict rules around style (though not as strict as those applied to Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). His suits would reflect the formality of the occasion he was attending and little else, and Harry always looked like someone who was more comfortable in clothes he could wear on the polo field or out camping. Harry spoke fondly in his memoir Spare about shopping the bargain aisles at discount chain TJ Maxx as he grew up: “when they’d be flush with items from Gap or J.Crew, items that had just gone out of season or were slightly damaged.”

Prince Harry flashes the Dior bee on his shirt.

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Royal Courts of Justice as the lawsuit against the Associated Newspapers enters its final day on March 30, 2023 in London, England. Prince Harry is one of several claimants in a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Since he started dating and then married Meghan Markle in 2018, royal followers noticed immediately that his style was becoming sharper, borrowing more frequently from high-end designers and often matching her impeccable looks in color palette. As he and Meghan went on to exit the royal family in 2020, Harry’s style evolution has continued: The suits are fitting better every year, and he’s learning how to meld his love of comfortable clothes with a more grown-up look.

Harry has worn a series of suits and white collared shirts in demure blues and grays for his court appearances this week, but little touches like Monday’s skinny blue tie or Thursday’s Dior shirt point to the Prince breaking away from years of doing the bare minimum to dress appropriately and turning towards a genuine enjoyment in choosing his style, dressing in pieces that subtly scream quality while accomplishing the same polished and polite look that’s appropriate for these proceedings.

Call it the L.A. effect, call it the Meghan Markle effect, call it whatever you like—Prince Harry is looking good these days, and he knows it.

[grandmaster-anne]

The avant-garde Princess Margaret

By Andrew Morton | Published 16 June 2021

Decades before Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were flag-bearers of the progressive and global, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon were established as Britain’s hippest couple, peerless representatives of the ‘Swinging Sixties’ and living proof that the monarchy could be both traditional and modern.

According to Lord Ardwick, editor of the Daily Herald, the Snowdons signified ‘a new kind of royalty’. He went on: ‘they had far more contacts among writers and artists and so forth, not among stuffy courtiers. They became the new family model of fast travelling, hard-working, affluent young people – but at a price, a cost that was not always welcome.’ Together, this bohemian couple raced through the streets of London on Snowdon’s motorcycle or in his new Mini, visiting street markets, jazz clubs and theatres.

Such was their appeal that even First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was deeply disappointed when neither the princess nor her husband was present at a dinner in honour of President Kennedy held at Buckingham Palace in June 1961. Internationally, they were the royal version of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton: sophisticated, artistic and raffish. Once, Margaret tried on the 29.4-carat diamond ring that had been given to Taylor by her third husband Mike Todd. She joked it was ‘vulgar’. Liz replied: ‘Yeah ain’t it great.’

Vibrant, dynamic and glamorous, Margaret and Tony in the early years captivated the nation, injecting new life and energy into what Prince Philip called ‘the Firm’. Everything from their fashions to their crowd – naturally ‘in’ – was a playful counterpoint to the Queen and her Court. If the Snowdons were deemed ‘hip plush’, the Queen was ‘starchy matron’ – her fashions were still chosen by her dresser since childhood, Bobo MacDonald. Just as her father had done, it was Tony who guided Margaret’s style, urging her to adopt simpler, skimpier trends to mirror the taste and temper of the time. Though she never wore miniskirts, her skirts and dresses were still much shorter than those of other royal women. She also experimented with kaftans, lace stockings and costume jewellery, and at one point the princess was voted just behind actor Grace Kelly in the annual ‘World’s Best Dressed Woman’ contest.

In contrast to the Queen’s unalterable look, Margaret’s hairstyle was constantly changing, from glossy bobs to elaborate, high-reaching coiffures adorned with hairpieces. Nor was she afraid to showcase daring trends: pale lipstick, heavy eye shadow, long earrings, and a provocatively low neckline. Tony’s clothes were just as modish: velvet jackets, voile shirts and barrow-boy caps. He even wore a white polo neck instead of black tie to formal events.

While the Queen and Prince Philip remained on British soil for their holidays, Margaret and Tony quickly became members of the international jet set and much-sought-after guests of the rich and powerful. At a time when travel abroad was exclusive and expensive, their holidays on a millionaire’s yacht or villa excited awe and jealousy in equal measure. In September 1963, when the Queen and the rest of the royal family were at Balmoral, the Snowdons holidayed on a private Aegean island owned by Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos, which came fully stocked with game birds for shooting parties.

The following year it was the turn of the British-born Aga Khan to fly them on his private plane to the exclusive resort of Costa Smeralda on the Italian island of Sardinia, where they were able to water-ski, sail, snorkel and sunbathe in relative privacy. They returned to the island often. On one occasion, the Aga Khan’s yacht, the Amaloun, hit a rock and started to sink. Tony dove into the water and the others took to a life raft, from which they were rescued by a passing boat. Significantly, the first person Margaret contacted to say all was well was the Queen.

That escapade did not dim their enthusiasm for all things Italian. It became a favoured holiday destination. In the summer of 1965, for example, the couple drove to Rome in Tony’s Aston Martin to see the sights and be received by the Pope in a private audience. The paparazzi stalked them constantly, one photographer observing: ‘You have to remember that Princess Margaret and Elizabeth Taylor are the two most wanted women in the world.’

Once the Snowdons moved into their newly renovated, 20-roomed home at Kensington Palace in March 1963, an invitation to supper or for a sing-along around the grand piano became the hottest ticket in town. Their social circle reflected their bohemian bent, singers, musicians, artists and writers all beating a path to 1a Clock Court.

Their servants did not mind working 18-hour days when they had the chance to glimpse luminaries such as designer Mary Quant, writer Edna O’Brien – Margaret did a good impression of the writer’s breathless, confiding speech patterns – actor Peter Sellers and his wife Britt Ekland, ballet dancers Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn, and trend-setting hairdresser Vidal Sassoon. The Snowdons even befriended the Beatles, with John Lennon famously nicknaming the couple ‘Priceless Margarine’ and ‘Bony Armstrove’. On one occasion, George Harrison asked Margaret to get his drug-possession charges dropped. She declined. ‘I adored them because they were poets as well as musicians,’ the princess later recalled.

Their parties were replete with the rich and famous. The comedian and musician Dudley Moore would play the piano; Cleo Laine and her jazz musician husband John Dankworth would sing; John Betjeman, a future poet laureate, would tell stories. Often, Princess Margaret would join in playing the piano and singing tunes from her favourite musicals. When the lights were out at Buckingham Palace, they were still blazing until the early hours at the Snowdons’ salon – invariably at Margaret’s bidding.

Established in her own home for the first time in her life and with baby number two on the way, Margaret’s life was scintillating, busy and happy. She could even share the mutual joys and difficulties of pregnancy with her sister, as the Queen gave birth to her fourth child, Prince Edward, in March 1964. Elizabeth and Prince Philip made a modest concession to modernity: for the first time, Prince Philip was present at the birth, which took place in the Belgian Suite at Buckingham Palace.

During this time, the differing personalities of the two sisters became more sharply delineated and formalised as Margaret established her own home and social circle. At last she had her own salon where the princess, a performer and extrovert at heart, could literally hold court. By contrast, her sister focused her attention on her horses and dogs, her people being the country set who followed the jumps and the flats. Animals never broke her trust, let her down or came to her with difficult problems.

While Margaret inhabited a social halfway house, befriending the era’s popular icons as well as those with a handle before their first name, Elizabeth’s friends came almost exclusively from the land-owning aristocracy – she first knew her fourth prime minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, as the owner of land in Scotland – or were those from the Guards regiments such as Lord Plunket and Lord Porchester, her racing manager, who got to know her during the war. When her mother won the Whitbread Gold Cup with Special Cargo, Colonel Bill Whitbread and his wife Betty held a dinner party for the Queen Mother. After dinner they adjourned to another room to watch the race one more time. They were a chair short so the Queen sat on the floor, clearly being comfortable with the racing crowd she was with. It is hard to imagine her being so relaxed with Margaret’s friends. Like her father, the Queen was uncomfortable around artists and the avant-garde.

Trust was always an issue, hence the reliance on familiar faces, on the tried and tested. Arguably, for all their differences, her sister was the Queen’s closest friend and, along with her husband, most stalwart and loyal supporter. Though Margaret was the undoubted queen of the smart set, she was always the supporting act to her sister, never the star of the show. She gave a telling clue as to the origin of this family drama when she said: ‘I’ve never suffered from second daughter-itis. I’ve never minded being referred to as the younger daughter but I do mind being referred to as the younger sister.’ This was a question of place and position in the hierarchy. As historian Michael Nash observed: ‘While her father was King, her own position was more elevated. She was in the mainstream. Immediately after he died, she became a collateral branch.’

Since she’d been a little girl, Margaret was the one drawn to the spotlight, who loved being the centre of attention whether the audience was just her father or, during the war, a table full of Guards officers. Now it was in her sitting room at Kensington Palace that she reigned supreme, singing show tunes as she sipped Famous Grouse whisky.

She was, though, undoubtedly loyal to her sister, just as she was to her friends – a characteristic that pleased the Queen. Her role, as she told writer Andrew Duncan, was to support her sister in her difficult and isolated position. ‘In my own humble way I’ve always tried to take some of the burden off my sister. She can’t do it all you know. And I leap at the opportunity to help.’

Margaret was a pioneer in trying to remove the barriers of snobbery and protocol – but not all. Woe betide the conversational partner who referred to ‘your sister’ or ‘your father’. They received ‘the Windsor glare’. Though she struggled to turn on the electric kettle, when she was a guest at a weekend party she liked to muck in, whether it be laying the fire – a particular pleasure – stripping wallpaper or washing up. She hankered after a life more ordinary but not too ordinary. Royalty mattered most.

It was a social tightrope she walked all her life. As Tony’s business manager Peter Lyster-Todd observed: ‘I often stayed with them for weekends and you never quite knew what you were going to get; friendly Margaret or talking to “Ma’am”.’ It became a common refrain. While drag artist Danny La Rue found Margaret ‘witty and highly intelligent’, he maintained, ‘you always knew you were in the presence of a princess’.

For the Queen’s 39th birthday in 1965, the Snowdons joined Peter Sellers and several other friends in making a 15-minute home movie as a gift for Her Majesty. At one point in the film, Sellers, who played ‘The Great Berko’, proclaimed that in a world-record time of 11 seconds flat he would perform his celebrated impression of Princess Margaret. He then disappeared behind a screen and flung various articles of clothing into the air, after which, a few seconds later, the actual princess emerged, curtseying and grinning before retreating behind the screen. The Queen loved the movie and showed it frequently.

Within months, in November 1965, the princess and her husband were on a professional movie set, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Mary Pickford, Charlton Heston, Maurice Chevalier and James Stewart at Universal Studios in Studio City, Hollywood. The three-week, five-city tour of the United States was the chance to fly the flag for Britain and take time to enjoy the sights, courtesy of their host, Margaret’s long-time American friend Sass Douglas, who organised the tour. Besides Los Angeles, the couple charmed San Francisco’s old-money families, dazzled New York’s Upper East Side aristocracy, and greeted locals in small town Arizona – Sass’s home state – before schmoozing President Johnson at a black-tie dinner held at the White House. The royal couple, who had performed numerous successful overseas visits on behalf of the Queen, found themselves the subject of constant criticism – even though many thought the trip a triumph.

While the tour was followed with intense interest by the media, Palace officials watched in horror as the trip devolved into utter mayhem. The getting-to-know-you visit was supposed to show Americans just how sexy and unstuffy the British royals could be. Who more qualified to do that than the House of Windsor’s grooviest couple, Margaret and Tony? Instead, as one columnist put it, the visit caused ‘plenty of trouble’. The jamboree cost the equivalent of US$500,000 and many lost tempers. An aircraft of the Queen’s Flight was sent out to back up a Lockheed JetStar, which an obliging President Johnson had provided. In addition, British Airways lent them a VC10 jet. The couple’s entourage included a Mayfair hairdresser, two menservants, two maids, a detective, a secretary, a lady-in-waiting, a private secretary and the Deputy Captain of the Queen’s Flight.

What followed after touchdown was a litany of missed appointments, cancelled public engagements and highly publicised social snubs. The princess, with her dangerous mix of highfalutin’ formality and fun-loving affability, was difficult to read. One instant she could be all friends together, the next she would be the daughter of the King-Emperor astride her high horse.

At a party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the princess sent a message across the room to say that she would like to hear Judy Garland sing. The singer was incensed by the lordly tone and the trivialising of her talent. She said: ‘Go and tell that nasty, rude little princess that we’ve known each other long enough and gabbed enough in ladies’ rooms that she should skip the ho-hum royal routine, pop over here and ask me herself. Tell her I’ll sing if she christens a ship first.’

Then, when Margaret met with President Johnson and his wife Lady Bird, she made full use of her ‘actressy’ nature. According to one observer, who saw her at a ball at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, ‘It’s a put-on; campy; tongue-in-cheek camp. She’s doing an impersonation of herself.’ Princess Margaret – always the performer – loved opportunities where she could showcase her ‘star’ nature, becoming an exaggeration of her own public persona.

The couple were subject to a flurry of critical headlines from both sides of the political divide back in the UK, the left-wing New Statesman describing her tour as a ‘private rubbernecking trip to the American fun centres’ while the right-wing Sunday Express called it a ‘holiday frolic among the tinsel princes and princesses of Hollywood’.

After her return to London in late November, questions were asked in the House of Commons about her behaviour. In a private report, the British ambassador, Sir Patrick Dean, reported diplomatically: ‘They worked hard and played hard. It was a mistake that so much of their time was spent with and organised by Miss Douglas. It was not always possible to persuade the American public that HRH and Lord Snowdon were serious as well as gay people.’ When the princess spoke of returning to the States in 1973, British ambassador Lord Cromer torpedoed the suggestion. Margaret’s private secretary Lieutenant-Colonel Burnaby-Atkins was told, ‘Lord Cromer is not at all keen on having the Princess in the United States, possibly for some time to come. This is mainly due to the behaviour of some of HRH’s friends, who tend to take such visits lightly.’

With headlines like ‘Luxury tour’, ‘Who pays’ and ‘Own hairdresser’, the impression was left in the public mind once again that the princess was neither pulling her weight nor cost effective. Once established, this narrative would dog her for the rest of her life, no matter how many public engagements she undertook on behalf of the Queen.

The wheels were beginning to come off – not just in terms of her public image but also concerning the couple’s private behaviour. Similar in so many ways, the personality traits that had at first united now gradually divided them. It was Margaret’s tragedy that consciously and subconsciously she fell for a man who exhibited similar characteristics to herself rather than her sister.

Tragically, it soon became apparent that, in the worst sense, Margaret and Tony were ‘two peas in a pod’, both strong-willed, competitive, ‘centre-stage’ people used to getting their way. The princess had long been indulged and coddled, while Tony was magnetic and ambitious, bolder and more conniving than Margaret herself. With their personalities ‘too alike, too selfish’, as friends recalled, they were bound to clash. In this battle of wills, Snowdon, as the Queen’s biographer Sarah Bradford noted, was much better at being nasty than Margaret.

Though the earliest years of their marriage were happy and stimulating, Snowdon soon chafed at the bars of the royal cage – as his friends had predicted.

Before the couple married, Margaret’s lady-in-waiting Lady Elizabeth Cavendish, who first introduced them, asked the princess if she could genuinely cope with Tony’s ‘bohemian world’. When Lady Elizabeth explained that he would be here, there and everywhere with his professional commitments and would not always be home for dinner, Margaret dismissed her concerns, believing that their passion and deep connection would overcome all obstacles.

For all her surface royal sheen, Margaret was a surprisingly shy, insecure woman, more so than her sister, and once marital hostilities began it was easy for Snowdon to knock her off her perch. In the beginning he could pass off his casual controlling cruelties as practical jokes.

In the summer of 1963, when the couple stayed with wealthy Greek ship owner Stavros Niarchos on his private island, Spetsopoula, friends on a nearby island threw a party to celebrate Margaret’s thirty-third birthday. When Tony arrived, he brought presents for everyone – except his wife. Then, as the two were getting ready for the barbecue that night, Margaret shouted from upstairs, ‘Oh, darling, what shall I wear?’ Tony replied, ‘I think that ball gown you wore last week.’ Margaret, suspecting nothing, arrived at the dinner dressed to the hilt, while all the other guests wore casual jeans. These kinds of jokes-in-disguise progressively undermined her self-confidence and her trust in her husband. As the years ticked by, the photographer’s controlling behaviour could be described as mental cruelty.

For all her differences with her sister, she saw the Queen’s successful marriage as a template she should imitate. Like Tony, Philip was an alpha male, creative, bombastic and strong-willed but accepting of his secondary role in the marriage. As he had once told a friend: ‘This is my destiny – to support my wife in what lies ahead for her.’ In the early years, Snowdon performed this role exactly as Margaret had imagined – a smiling, gracious and deferential addition to her retinue.

Once he began working for the Sunday Times, he reverted to type, a workaholic with a wandering eye. An early riser, he was working when Margaret, after a long night carousing, was still in bed, often until shortly before noon. After a row he might send her a note, loving but firm, suggesting that she drink less and retire to bed earlier. Given her later health problems, this note could be interpreted as a husband’s fond concern for his wife. He had the ability, which she found ultimately frustrating, of skilfully laying every problem with the marriage at her door.

She knew instinctively that if she started complaining to her sister or mother, they wouldn’t want to know. They had experienced a lifetime of Margaret’s rudeness and self-absorption, so probably would side with the angelic and courteous Tony. The Queen knew it had been a long struggle for her own husband to adapt, so she sympathised with Tony’s juggling act, working as a photographer as well as undertaking national and international royal duties.

The couple began to move in different worlds. Though Margaret had longed to create a life outside royal circles, at moments of personal tension she fell back on the familiar, namely the formalities and superficialities of the royal world. In this world, her natural habitat, it was others who had to compromise to her standards and requirements.

But as Tony began to exhibit a growing need for independence, she became increasingly possessive, calling him on assignments, at restaurants or at the homes of friends. Lacking Elizabeth’s economy of emotion, Margaret could not accept that someone had ‘out-royaled her’. Since she was a girl, she had used her personality and position to get away with murder. As the gloves came off in their marriage, she began to realise she had finally met her match.

Though she was aware of the backstage drama in her sister’s marriage, the Queen simply watched and waited, hoping that matters would resolve themselves.

The cracks remained, as Tony found his duties as consort increasingly burdensome. He snapped, ‘I am not a member of the royal family. I am married to a member of the royal family.’ He focused fiercely on his job, travelling around the world on assignments, both for still photography and filming documentaries. It was creatively fulfilling but it was a world that was alien to the princess. Though she pleaded with him to let her join him on projects, he flatly refused, saying he wanted to be as anonymous as possible.

Meanwhile, Margaret remained at home, pregnant and bored. Just as the sisters had faced the challenges of pregnancy together, Elizabeth fretted over the effects of the deteriorating marriage on her sister. She knew that Margaret’s doctor – worried that marital strain was endangering her second pregnancy – had even warned Tony directly about his behaviour.

While the pregnant princess marked time, Tony was busier than ever, shooting portraits of the likes of Charlie Chaplin, and Sophia Loren. He also designed the impressive Snowdon Aviary at the London Zoo, which opened in October 1964. Most importantly, he began to evolve into a progressive voice for change, championing the disadvantaged, dispossessed and disabled. Not only did he photograph blind and deaf children, as well as victims of rubella, but he also started making award-winning TV documentaries about old age, mental health, disability, poverty and children. He was delighted that the Queen watched his work, the Sovereign complimenting him fulsomely on his efforts.

As Snowdon’s star rose, Margaret’s only claim to fame continued to be an accident of birth – a truth she shrank from her entire life.

The seeds of discontent were now sown. Rows she could bear; at least they signified emotional engagement. It was the silent treatment she dreaded. He would arrive home late and then head straight to his basement work room, often ignoring his wife’s requests to meet with guests.

With the birth of their second child, Sarah Frances Elizabeth, on 1 May 1964, there was a temporary truce. Tony had his assistant fetch a huge bouquet for Margaret from the florist. Ever conscious of royal protocol that the Queen must be the first to know the baby’s birth and sex, Tony instructed the assistant: ‘If they do it up in pink ribbon, hide it – otherwise the press’ll know that it’s a girl.’ An hour after the birth, Tony visited his wife and new daughter, then dutifully telephoned the Queen and Queen Mother, who came to see the infant in the severe black of court mourning following the death of the King of Greece. It was not an auspicious omen.

This is an edited extract from Elizabeth & Margaret by Andrew Morton

[orcaofmyheart99]

Chaos at the Theatre part 1 (Musical with You)

On ao3

Aziraphale always loved the theater and everything about it. The costumes, the script writing, the scenery, and the acting. This is why Crowley had arranged for them to go and see it. It was a surprise for Aziraphale. As they entered the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, Aziraphale drew in an excited breath. He enjoyed the busing of the crowd. People talking animatedly, hands moving, some even softly humming the show tunes. Crowley looked around, frowning slightly. He hated crowds, shows and music, but it made Aziraphale incredibly happy. Aziraphale did things he didn’t like much to make Crowley happy. 

“Want to get some tea and Eccles cakes?” Aziraphale asked Crowley, pointing to a small cart.

Crowley nodded and they walked off to get some sweets.

There was a line, and both couldn't help but overhear the conversations around them.

Two well-dressed men were in a light conversation. They were obviously American. One man was tall, slender with hair brushed up and over to the side. The other man was on the shorter side but held himself with great confidence. 

“Thank you for this Rafa.”

“You’re welcome, Sonny. I knew that we would both be in London for the conference so I thought it would be great to get tickets. I wanted to surprise you with tickets to a Broadway play, but I know that you love Newsies, and I thought it would be a great thing to see since we were going to be in London”

Sonny leaned and gave Rafa a kiss on the cheek.

Rafa’s phone buzzed.

He smiled and showed the text to Sonny.

“Looks like Amanda and Olivia are having fun at the Maneskin concert. Apparently Maneskin is performing their new song, Honey, Are You Coming? I can’t believe they are dressed like that!” Sonny laughed. 

Crowley’s attention turned to a group of some college aged women and men. They were dressed in a particular manner. The women had on long formal dresses and the men looked like they were dressed as if they were straight out of the late 1700s. The gaggle of youngsters were joking around. 

“Alex, I can’t believe you did that!” One commented

“Hey, it is not my fault Jefferson is so annoying! He deserved to get pushed into the pool!”

“Yes, but you still shouldn’t do that. Would you like that if I did that to you?”

“Aaron, you can do literally anything to me.” 

The man called Aaron turned away blushing. 

“Plus, Jefferson is so annoying. He said it was stupid to go and see a musical all the way in England and that I have to be a better role model.”

“Yeah, like he was any standing” Chimed in Lafayette 

“We all know that he and Madison are a total item,” Hercules laughed.

Crowley looked over at a pair of men who looked very out of place. 

One of them was wearing a black t-shirt which read drink coffee, hail Satan and wore an upside down cross around his neck. A worn gray and dark green flannel was draped loosely around him. 

The man standing next to him, was shorter than him with a tanned complexion. If you had to picture what a stereotypical nerd was you would come up with him. He had on a striped polo shirt and a light purple suit jacket. 

The man with the hail Satan t-shirt glanced at Crowley who, like him, was dressed in mostly black. 

The man’s what Crowley only could presume to be his boyfriend was talking to the girls in the formal dresses. The man looked as though he was being forced to be there and was trying hard not to scowl. Crowley muttered to him. 

“Forced to be here by your boyfriend” The man nodded.

“He said that we were going to a death metal concert. But I should’ve known. The most rock and roll type of music he listens to is the velvet underground. What about you? Why are you here?”

“I surprised my boyfriend. I detest musicals and theatre but since he always accommodating me, I thought I might as well as try to do something he likes.” 

The man smiled. 

“I like your t-shirt.”

“Thanks, I mostly do it to piss people off. I like to see their smiles disappear.” 

Suddenly the man’s boyfriend appeared. 

“Gilfoyle come on, Elizabeth, Eliza and Peggy are inviting us to go and meet some of the actors before the musical starts.” 

“Pleasant meeting you” Crowley stated as the man was dragged away by his boyfriend over the girls who had separated themselves out from the boys.

The lights flickered indicating that the show was about to begin. The patrons made their way into the expansive theatre. Seats were taken as the lights began to dim. A collective breath was held as the musical began. 

It opened on two characters, high up, with the cityscape of New York behind them. The set design was amazing.

“They say folks is dying to get here. Me I’m dying to get away to a little town out west.” 

The first song began. It sent shivers doing everyone’s spines. A few minutes later the set changed and revealed several boys standing and getting ready for the morning. The crowd erupted in cheers as the first dance number began

“Ain’t it a fine life carrying the banner through it all. A mighty fine life, carrying the banner tough and tall. When the bell rings, we goes where we wishes, we’s as free as fishes, sure beats washing dishes. What a fine life carrying the banner home free all.”

The actors flipped, danced, and sang much to the crowd’s pleasure. Crowley looked over as saw Aziraphale positively beaming with delight. The Newsies were quickly being broken apart by the Delancey Brothers and other union busters. The audience’s eyes followed the chaos as one of the characters was caught and dragged away. As Jack Kelly began to sing Santa Fe, there was not a dry eye in the house. Aziraphale took out a handkerchief to tap at his eyes.

“Sante Fe!

My old friend I can't spend my whole life dreamin',

Though I know that's all I seem inclined to do.

I ain't gettin' any younger, and I wanna start brand new.

I need space, and fresh air-

let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care-

Save my place, I'll be there...

Just be real is all I'm askin', not some painting in my head,

'Cause I'm dead if I can't count on you today.

I got nothin' if I ain't got Sante Fe!”

The crowd cheered as the song came to a finish. The emotions were displayed clearly on the actor’s face and through his voice. Everyone felt their collective hearts break for Jack Kelly. 

 The audience got up and filed out to the common area for some more drinks. 

Aziraphale asked Crowley ��So did Hell have anything to do with the poor working conditions of those children and the higher price for newspapers?”

Crowley nodded “Yes, Hell did have some influence in Pulitzer’s idea to raise the price. Greed is often traced back to Hell.”

“I quite like your suit” The young man named Alex came up and complimented Aziraphale.

“People don’t have fashion sense anymore.” 

“Yours is quite nice as well” Aziraphale returned. 

“I always enjoyed the 1700s fashion.” 

“Same here. The only problem with the 1700s is King George. God he is annoying. He is always like “you belong to me” and “I’ll kill all of you” So extra” The young man rolled his eyes.

Crowley and Aziraphale gave each other a strange look. 

“And don’t get me started on Jefferson. He thinks he is soooo much better than everyone else because he went to France.” 

One of the girls came up to Alex, and stated that Aaron was getting mad, because apparently Alex had changed his ringtone to Never gonna give you up.

Alex replied “Angie, he must accept Rick Astley as his lord and savior.” 

The girl sighed and tugged on Alex’s arm.

“Go apologize to him, Alex.” 

The young man and woman walked away.

“That is peculiar. It seems as though they believe they are in the 1700s. I mean they have to realize they are in 2023? A whole musical was even written about them in 2015."  Aziraphale remarked.

“Time is a unique thing. Past and present seem to collide much more often than we think” Crowley replied, shrugging. 

The lights dimmed once more and the audience walked back into the theatre, taking their seats. The musical started up again with an energetic tap number. Kathrine, the young woman who wanted to prove herself, joined in the boys tapping. The audience enjoyed the dancing as a much-needed break from the previously mentioned song. The musical traveled one, with Kathrine being outed as Pulitzer's daughter. And a beautiful love song between Jack and Kathrine proved that they believed in each other and would not let anything stand in their way. 

The newsies were back, fighting together. Fighting for all the young workers who were being abused. 

“There’s change coming once and for all” The actors sang out.

To everyone’s surprise, even more actors were walking up the aisle towards the main stage. It was very powerful to be fully surrounded by the characters, as though you were part of the very movement.

The musical came to an end with Sniper being arrested and Pulitzer coming to an agreement with Jack. The actors took a final bow and were given a standing ovation. 

The crowd left the theatre talking about the show. Everyone was buzzing with their opinions and thoughts. 

Some of the crowd were taking turns grabbing photos with a newspaper stand in the common area. The two men Aziraphale and Crowley noticed talking in front of them were about to stand in front of the newspaper stand.

“Excuse me, would you be able to take a photo of us?” The lanky man asked Aziraphale.

Aziraphale replied with an “of course” 

After the photo was snapped, the shorter man thanked them. 

“This is our first time in England. We thought we might as well go and see Newsies since we are huge Broadway fans.” 

The taller man smiled.

“Not just fans, you actually have performed in theatre. He was excellent in Tick, Tick, Boom!”

“Local theatre, Sonny.” The man corrected him, blushing. 

“Theatre is theatre. “Arts are very important,” Aziraphale added.

The two men walked off holding hands. 

Slowly Aziraphale and Crowley made their way out the front doors.

“That was magical,” Aziraphale exclaimed, leaning in to kiss Crowley on the cheek.

“Thank you for the surprise.”

“Anything for you Angel” Crowley responded, with a smile he only showed for Aziraphale. 

Crowley and Aziraphale traveled back to their house. Crowley even had to admit he might have enjoyed the musical, although he would never say that out loud. The final was moving. Once and for all they were truly satisfied. Crowley and Aziraphale love were louder than words.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 9.3 (before 1930)

36 BC – In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey, thus ending Pompeian resistance to the Second Triumvirate. 301 – San Marino, one of the smallest nations in the world and the world's oldest republic still in existence, is founded by Saint Marinus. 590 – Consecration of Pope Gregory I (Gregory the Great). 673 – King Wamba of the Visigoths puts down a revolt by Hilderic, governor of Nîmes (France) and rival for the throne. 863 – Major Byzantine victory at the Battle of Lalakaon against an Arab raid. 1189 – Richard I of England (a.k.a. Richard "the Lionheart") is crowned at Westminster. 1260 – The Mamluks defeat the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine, marking their first decisive defeat and the point of maximum expansion of the Mongol Empire. 1335 – At the congress of Visegrád Charles I of Hungary mediates a reconciliation between two neighboring monarchs, John of Bohemia and Casimir III of Poland. 1411 – The Treaty of Selymbria is concluded between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice. 1650 – Victory over the royalists in the Battle of Dunbar opens the way to Edinburgh for the New Model Army in the Third English Civil War. 1651 – The Battle of Worcester is the last significant action in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. 1658 – The death of Oliver Cromwell; Richard Cromwell becomes Lord Protector of England. 1666 – The Royal Exchange burns down in the Great Fire of London. 1777 – American Revolutionary War: During the Battle of Cooch's Bridge, the Flag of the United States is flown in battle for the first time. 1783 – American Revolutionary War: The war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris by the United States and the Kingdom of Great Britain. 1798 – The week long battle of St. George's Caye begins between Spain and Britain off the coast of Belize. 1812 – Twenty-four settlers are killed in the Pigeon Roost Massacre in Indiana. 1838 – Future abolitionist Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery. 1843 – King Otto of Greece is forced to grant a constitution following an uprising in Athens. 1855 – American Indian Wars: In Nebraska, 700 soldiers under United States General William S. Harney avenge the Grattan massacre by attacking a Sioux village and killing 100 men, women and children. 1861 – American Civil War: Confederate General Leonidas Polk invades neutral Kentucky, prompting the state legislature to ask for Union assistance. 1870 – Franco-Prussian War: The Siege of Metz begins, resulting in a decisive Prussian victory on October 23. 1875 – The first official game of polo is played in Argentina after being introduced by British ranchers. 1878 – Over 640 die when the crowded pleasure boat Princess Alice collides with the Bywell Castle in the River Thames. 1879 – Siege of the British Residency in Kabul: British envoy Sir Louis Cavagnari and 72 men of the Guides are massacred by Afghan troops while defending the British Residency in Kabul. Their heroism and loyalty became famous and revered throughout the British Empire. 1895 – John Brallier becomes the first openly paid professional American football player, when he was paid US$10 by David Berry, to play for the Latrobe Athletic Association in a 12–0 win over the Jeanette Athletic Association. 1911 – A fire that started on Fraser's Million Dollar Pier destroys six to eight square blocks of Ocean Park, California. 1914 – William, Prince of Albania leaves the country after just six months due to opposition to his rule. 1914 – French composer Albéric Magnard is killed defending his estate against invading German soldiers. 1914 – World War I: Start of the Battle of Grand Couronné, a German assault against French positions on high ground near the city of Nancy. 1916 – World War I: Leefe Robinson destroys the German airship Schütte-Lanz SL 11 over Cuffley, north of London; the first German airship to be shot down on British soil.

[timeforabathblog]

18. Best Baths on the Thames: Henley Swimming Baths at 90

Ninety years ago this summer, William Lee stood at the gate, boater hat in hand, resplendent in white shoes and white trousers. A butcher by trade, he was also the mayor of Henley-on-Thames, so it fell to him to begin the evening’s proceedings. He smiled for the camera and pushed the gate open to a round of applause. It was 5:30pm on a sunny Saturday just after midsummer, the 23rd of June 1934.

William Lee opening the Henley Swimming Baths. Source: Reading Standard.

Lee, his fellow councillors, and the crowd that followed them into the enclosure, were gathered to mark the completion of the Henley Swimming Baths off Wargrave Road, a facility sanctioned by the Ministry of Health at a cost of approximately £2,000, and designed by the Borough Surveyor, F. C. Wren. 

The Baths and its opening were a triumph of low-tech public luxury. They celebrated the simple pleasure of swimming in a river, framed as a pursuit that was mainstream – even glamorous – and yet, for this Thameside town, also part of everyday life and leisure.

‘The Baths and its opening were a triumph of low-tech public luxury.’

Wren’s design, at once functional and beautiful, embodied this ethos. The entrance was flanked by two brick and timber-framed attendants’ booths, bisecting a sweeping half-octagon of changing cubicles, their raised floor level pre-empting winter floods. 

National Grid 1:2500 map, 1962. Source: National Library of Scotland.

The typical bather paid for entry at one of the booths and then made their way to a cubicle. After undressing and donning their costume, they stepped out onto a raised walkway and, past a white-painted metal railing, looked out over a broad sunbathing lawn extending to the water. 

Clustered at the centre of the bank were three pollard willows and a low diving board. Several sets of steps led down into the river on either side. To the right stood the metal frame of a higher diving platform. 

In the water, the bather had the choice of a shallow end or a deep end within a cordoned off stretch of the stream, hefty white staves marking its corners.

Picture postcard of the Baths, 1930s.

Bringing Wren’s design to life, the opening was a variety show – a ‘water cabaret’ – compéred by ‘English champion swimmer’ Jeanne Clilverd. Taking their seats in rows set out on the grass, the crowd first enjoyed a speech from William Lee, who proclaimed the venue the ‘best baths on the Thames’, to much agreement. 

A parade of ‘London’s leading mannequins’ (the contemporary term for models) then exhibited the latest fashions in beach wear, before racing on ‘aqua-cycles’ and demonstrating ‘how to be lazy on a li-lo’.

Mannequins on aqua-cycles. Source: Reading Standard.

Clilverd performed a series of virtuosic feats in swimming and diving. Russian emigré guitarist Alexis Chesnakov serenaded the crowd from atop the diving platform. And the evening concluded with Reading and Windsor swimming clubs going head to head in a game of water polo.

Alexis Chesnakov serenades the crowd. Source: Reading Standard.

Henley was by no means new to swimming. The previous summer, 2,725 bathers were recorded over the August Bank Holiday weekend – equivalent to 40% of the town’s population. In effect, the Baths updated and rebranded a place known traditionally as ‘Solomon’s Hatch’, a favourite watering hole before Lee and the other local grandees were even born.

‘The Baths updated and rebranded a place known traditionally as “Solomon’s Hatch,” a favourite watering hole before Lee and the other local grandees were even born.’

The first significant move to formalise and enclose the site came in 1871 with the establishment of the Henley Bathing Company. By the 1880s, there were a free and a paid swimming area, as well as changing sheds and ladders. The first Henley Swimming Club took to the water in 1894. 

Map of Henley with Solomon's Hatch circled. Source: Emily J. Climenson, A Guide to Henley-on-Thames, 1896.

For some, river bathing was an article of faith. William Wing, an earlier Borough Surveyor from a prominent local family, bathed first thing every morning all year round, as well as acting as the Bathing Company’s secretary.

The spot was popular with tourists as well as locals. A visitor in 1880 mentioned ‘rising early for a plunge into the glorious stream at “Solomon’s Hatch”, then back to breakfast with such an appetite as swimmers only can approach, after which a quiet, digestive cigar…’

‘I never could find out who the particular Solomon was that the place was named after,’ added another in 1888, ‘but the bathing-place is a capital institution for Henley; the water is clear and the bottom sandy. Between the hours of 11 and 1 in the morning it is reserved for ladies only, and I am glad to say a good many avail themselves of this opportunity of learning the art of swimming…’

The origins of the name Solomon’s Hatch remain mysterious. Entrances to the vast mediaeval forest of Windsor were known as hatches, a term preserved in names of nearby villages like Playhatch and Hare Hatch. This might explain the second half. But why Solomon?

Henley Swimming Baths, 1930s. Source: River and Rowing Museum.

To find out more about the Baths’ later years, I posted on the Henley-on-Thames Past and Present Facebook group in September 2023, explaining my interest in the history of river swimming in the town and asking whether anyone had memories or pictures of the Henley Swimming Baths. 

No pictures appeared, but the memories were many. Henleyites recalled swimming lessons, the certificates they gained, the link between the Baths and local schools (including the walk from one to the other). Some remembered Harry Burfoot, the attendant from 1950 to 1974 – ‘a serious character but very fair’ – and the swimming teacher Miss Harris. Harris appears also to have been a general teacher at Holy Trinity School: the ‘best schoolteacher ever’, a ‘great encourager’ who ‘coached us in breastroke, balanced over school chairs’.

Many remarked on water temperature – ‘Mr Burfoot’ chalked it up in Fahrenheit at the entrance each morning. One poster noted having to this day ‘nightmare memories of freezing cold water, and trying to change out of a freezing cold clingy swimming costume’. Another remembered buying hot lemonade from the Baths kiosk after a swimming lesson, and pouring it over their feet to warm their ice cold toes.

‘Another remembered buying hot lemonade from the Baths kiosk after a swimming lesson, and pouring it over their feet to warm their ice cold toes.’

Some linked the Baths to their not having learnt to swim. One expressed the trauma of being pushed into the river before having any lessons – which put them off for life. Another commented that, given the chill of the water, ‘being taken there for lessons amounted to cruelty’ (followed by several laughing face emojis). Others were more nostalgic. ‘Spent so much time there during the summer,’ one said, ‘It was always so much fun!’ Another wrote, ‘Spent great times there – happy memories.’ A third simply put, ‘Loved it there.’

There were humorous anecdotes, too: ‘I remember a guy back in the early 70s who we called Tarzan used to dive in off the board and come up with a fish in his mouth... I think he worked as a fishmonger because I don’t recall mackerel being native to the Thames’.

The Town Council struggled to find a new attendant following Burfoot’s retirement. The future was uncertain. Then towards the end of the 1970s the gate William Lee opened in 1934 closed for the final time, the booths and cubicles standing derelict and increasingly overgrown. 

Photo by Martin Cook of the entrance to the Baths shortly before demolition, 1980s. Source: River and Rowing Museum.

In 1979, the riverside plot entered a new phase as the HQ of the Henley Rowing Club. Progress was gradual, with much of the construction being taken on by club members themselves. But after seven years’ work the Boathouse was finally ready, and another opening brought new life to the old home of Solomon’s Hatch and the Henley Swimming Baths.

Henley, meanwhile, never stopped swimming. The Henley Open Water Swimming Club continues to take the plunge and this summer marks the 20th anniversary of the Henley Classic, a wildly popular organised swim following the same course as the Henley Regatta. 

Other organised events include Club to Pub, a 1.5km summer evening swim through the heart of the town. The swim honours history in starting at Henley Rowing Club, site of the old Baths, and finishing at the Angel on the Bridge pub, a swimmers’ favourite for generations. ‘The Angel has the good old riverside flavour of sanded floor and cheerful barmaid,’ wrote a correspondent for the Newcastle Chronicle in 1898, ‘In the early morning you will find the bar requisitioned for rum and milk by bathers fortifying themselves for a swim from Solomon’s Hatch or in the Marsh Lock pool.’

Postcard featuring the 'Swimming Pool' and the Angel pub, 1930s.

Swimmers have also campaigned for the health of the river in recent years. In November 2022, a local group called the Henley Mermaids concluded a long distance fund-raising swim with a protest. They called on Thames Water to end its record of sewage pollution, while treading water among giant toilet rolls and turds.

The Baths’ legacy is upheld, too, in a large, sleek, hull-like construction by the river, facing directly out over the Rowing Club: the River and Rowing Museum. Visit the museum’s Henley Gallery, which explores many aspects of local history, and you can look up at the same entrance sign generations of swimmers passed under on their way to the water.

Henley Baths sign at the River and Rowing Museum, 2023.

On Friday the 28th of June this year, the museum hosted a hustings, with the 4th of July General Election squarely in view.

James Wallace of the NGO River Action UK compéred the show, introducing a panel of high-profile representatives from the worlds of rowing and swimming. Then followed speeches from anti-pollution campaigners and Citizen Scientists from River Action UK and Windrush Against Sewage Pollution. And the evening culminated with Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Green candidates for the constituency MP going head to head in a Q&A session. 

Sadly there were no musicians, no mannequins on aqua-cycles. Instead, there was much discussion of permits and discharge monitoring, E. Coli and coliform bacteria, combined sewage systems and the esoteric inner workings of Thames Water and the Environment Agency. The Citizen Scientists’s ability to make sense of all this for the lay-audience was especially impressive. 

‘This vision is mainstream already in many parts of the world, and was once mainstream all along the Thames, bathing areas like the Baths being a “prominent part of municipal life” within living memory.’

But the spirit of the Baths presided in more than just the itinerary. Throughout the evening the question of value, of why pollution matters and how we work together to put words into practice, came up again and again. Jo Robb, candidate for the Greens and a Henley Mermaid, was particularly outspoken about alternative ways of living with rivers that could become mainstream, were we to move on from the profit-driven model of privatised water. 

This vision, as Robb pointed out, is mainstream already in many parts of the world, and was mainstream in Henley and all along the Thames, bathing areas like the Baths being a ‘prominent part of municipal life’ in riverside towns and villages within living memory.

Souvenir notice for the opening of the Henley Swimming Baths. Source: Oxfordshire History Centre.

Now more than ever, in the face of the freshwater emergency, we should remember the opening of the Henley Swimming Baths. River swimming was celebrated ninety years ago as a common good – not tolerated but facilitated by local and national government. Much has changed. And as the old saying goes: you can’t step in the same river twice. But the past still offers insight into what’s possible, not only in confronting how we don’t want the rivers to be, but also in envisioning how we do want them to be – for ourselves and for river ecosystems, and for generations to come.

Thanks for support in writing this post go to the River & Rowing Museum, Oxfordshire History Centre, Charlie Young, and Katie Amos and Craig from Reading Central Library.

A version of this article appeared in the Henley Standard, on the 12th of July 2024 ��� link here: https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/river/190741/best-swimming-baths-on-thames-90-years-ago.html

Further reading:

Bailey, John, ‘William VIII: The Last of the Wings,’ Journal of the Henley-on-Thames Archaeological and Historical Group, March 2013, pp. 2-25.

Davies, Caitlin, Downstream: A History and Celebration of Swimming the River Thames (London: Aurum, 2015).

‘Henley: Social and Political History’, in A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 16, ed. Simon Townley (Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2011), pp. 120-159. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/oxon/vol16/pp120-159 [accessed 19 July 2023].

Wenham, Simon, Hobbs of Henley: A History (Stroud: Amberley Publishing, 2020).

[dmpflinn]

copied and pasted from another posting.

Are Meghan Markle's kids FAKE? 🤔

Megnant

1 Size: Bump drastically altering in size, even in a single day 😯

2 Slip: Bump slipped down to her knees in Birkenhead, UK 😯

3 Wobble: Bump wobbled side-to-side as she crossed the street. 😯

4 Clutching: Supporting her bump with her hands overly often. 🤔

5 Popping: audibly popped in a video, and wafted her clothes😯

6 Shape: Bump unnaturally shaped on Netflix🤔

7 Straps: Moonbump straps outlines visible under clothing in several photos. And something snapped, impacting the clothing fabric (video of H&M in London)😯

8 Biology: An absence of swelling of ankles, and other subtle biological (non)signs.🤔

9 Holding: Carrying a (doll?) infant on her bump, instead of on her hip.🤔

10 Squats: Squatting, effortlessly, with her knees together in videos and photos. In heels.😯

Births

11 Announcements: Royal official birth announcements are indirect. One states they are delighted "by the news of the" (not by the actual) birth.🤔

12 Coverup? A medic who certified a birth closed down her practice shortly afterwards.😯

13 Certificates: Questions linger over the birth certificates signatures, etc.🤔

14 Leak: An official Royal twitter account tweet indicated that Meghan’s kids are fake, before being taken down. An innocent prank?😁

15 Recovery: Epidural (ouch!) birth in a bath description anomalies and arriving home too soon afterwards to be quite plausible.🤔

16 Born Of Body?: Meghan allegedly told a friend she was infertile, when at college, and there was a reported alleged hysterectomy before the births.

17 Silence: Meghan is silent on her claimed births, despite always flashing her bump; having a "Capacity for over sharing"; boasting about being a “Mom”, and always talking about herself (apparently) on her feminist podcast. 🤔

Rented Infants

18 Archie Model: The real parents of the infant predominantly shown in Archie photos are identified. 💥

19 Lilibet Model: Parents of the infant shown in Lilibet photos are identified.💥

20 Loan: Mother of “Lilibet” commented on Insta that she does not "loan" her daughter to Meghan any longer.😯

21 Shape-Shifting: Different infants used in photos of both Archie and Lilibet.😯

22 Photoshopping: A litany of incompetently-photoshopped “family” photos. (A huge topic in itself).🤔

Dolls

23 Reborn Doll: Seemingly cradling a doll (a product called Darren) in official photo of Archie 🪆

24 Party Doll: Meghan seemingly cradled a similar doll when gate-crashing a polo match party, begetting astonished looks.😯

25 Bumpy Ride: Meghan seemed to be lugging an inanimate doll on top of her bump through some woods in Canada. Whilst grinning at a hired pap.🪆

26 Twisted: In one photograph, Archie's head is twisted more than 90 degrees 🪆

27 Carrying: A high % of photographs show them carrying the “kids” 🪆

28 Backs-Turned: A high % of Photos are of kids facing away from the camera 🤔

Other Oddities

29 Website: A startling absence of updates of Royal website on Meghan’s offspring.🤔

30 Bishop: Los Angeles christening cleric was not the official Bishop the Harkles claimed he was.🤔

31 Implausible Platitudes: Claiming Archie’s first word was “Crocodile”, and that he demands a Leica camera for his birthday. As tots do...🤔

32 Merch: An uncharacteristic unwillingness to merchandise their kids, for $$$ or PR.🤔

33 Invisible: The Harkles are never seen with their kids. There are hints of "home schooling" (will they ever be allowed out?)😯

34 Family Holidays: Weirdly, the Harkles never take their kids on holiday, and, if they pretend they did, they incompetently photoshop them into pap snaps on Insta.🤔

35 Everything Else: All the stuff I overlooked in this hastily speed-typed list.🤔

🤔🤔🤔

Why does it matter? 🤔

Because rich Prince Harry wants we skint, long-suffering tax payers, to pay for his security expenses; he’s a traitor, and, well, it’s fraud, isn’t it? 💥

Feel free to leave evidence I missed out in the comments. 👍

#MeghanMarkleIsAGrifter

#MeghanMarkleExposed

#WhereAreTheKids

#sussexbabyscam

[anwarnaser71]

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Mark Dyer Harrys keeper? by u/Minimum-Finance-5271

Mark Dyer Harry’s keeper? What do people know about this guys mark dyer? Looks like he was a male role model for the boys, a male minder brought in I think even before Diana died. Sort of a male nannie for the boys as they started to get rambunctious and too hard to handle as pre teens. He’s been with Harry all his life since, seemingly a male nanny well into Harry’s adult hood. I bet he could tell a tale or two.What brought me back to this guy was that I picked up a tumblr blogs timeline on Meghan and Harry’s relationship, it’s a long and enlightening read, things that were often confirmed not just rumour that made my jaw drop at the audacity of Meghan, she was really pushing it and I can see why some people really felt sorry for Harry in the beginning, long interestingness read see link below https://ift.tt/pfZubqa stood out to me in the part above was this tidbit5/10/2017: Mark Dyer sells his pubs to move out of London. The article is the first confirmation that he/his pubs had hosted Harry and Meghan for dates in the early days of their relationship. Speculation begins that Dyer doesn’t like Meghan at all.Gosh that sure sounds like mark dyed probably owned a bunch of pubs, maybe floated or assisted financially by the brf or even Harry, that would have been very convenient for Harry. It would be like having club h back at high grove, a private pub where grey could act as much a fool as he wanted without anyone finding out. Cause if his friend/nanny owned the bar he would of course ensure that guest were reprieved of cameras or had their phones checked before entering to keep lil Harry’s hero pr intact hmm? Maybe when Meghan came along she got Harry convinced he didn’t need these bars that he was going to grow up and be a married man/she didn’t want Harry to be able to go somewhere that was controlled by someone loyal to Harry not her. And if their Interaction at that polo match is anything to go by Marko didn’t care for madame. If Harry told mark he didn’t need these pubs or that he wasn’t going to help finance them anymore maybe that’s why mark closed them when Meghan came along.I thought I heard that this guy works at archwell. Probably doing nothing except getting paid for his silence and occasional handling/babysitting of Harry when Madame or her mother are not around. The guy seems sleazy to me, basically Harry’s nanny who has seen a lot of Harry’s worst behaviour, and it this point is basically an accessory to them. Not such a good role model if this is what Harry became.I notice that William doesn’t have some nanny taking care of him, almost like he’s a grown up.This isn’t really going anywhere, I just always wondered about this guy, but the more I find out about him the more it becomes apparent he’s just some dumb rich man Childs nanny 😂🤮🤮Thanks for looking! post link: https://ift.tt/47u0em2 author: Minimum-Finance-5271 submitted: April 19, 2024 at 01:19AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[she-is-wearing]

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