This year we marked another important anniversary: D-Day. On 6th June 1944, some one hundred and fifty-six thousand British, Canadian and American forces landed in Northern France. It was the largest ever seaborne invasion and was delayed due to bad weather.  I well remember the look of concern on my father’s face. He knew the secret D-Day plans but could of course share that burden with no-one.

For the seventy-fifth anniversary of that decisive battle, in a true spirit of reconciliation, those who had formerly been sworn enemies came together in friendly commemorations either side of the Channel, putting past differences behind them.

Such reconciliation seldom happens overnight. It takes patience and time to rebuild trust, and progress often comes through small steps. Since the end of the Second World War, many charities, groups and organisations have worked to promote peace and unity around the world, bringing together those who have been on opposing sides. By being willing to put past differences behind us and move forward together, we honour the freedom and democracy once won for us at so great a cost.

The challenges many people face today may be different to those once faced by my generation, but I have been struck by how new generations have brought a similar sense of purpose to issues such as protecting our environment and our climate.

My family and I are also inspired by the men and women of our emergency services and armed forces; and at Christmas we remember all those on duty at home and abroad, who are helping those in need and keeping us and our families safe and secure.

Two hundred years on from the birth of my great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, Prince Philip and I have been delighted to welcome our eighth great grandchild into our family.  Of course, at the heart of the Christmas story lies the birth of a child: a seemingly small and insignificant step overlooked by many in Bethlehem.  But in time, through his teaching and by his example, Jesus Christ would show the world how small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.  Many of us already try to follow in his footsteps. The path, of course, is not always smooth, and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy, but small steps can make a world of difference.

As Christmas dawned, church congregations around the world joined in singing It Came Upon the Midnight Clear.  Like many timeless carols, it speaks not just of the coming of Jesus Christ into a divided world, many years ago, but also of the relevance, even today, of the angels’ message of peace and goodwill.

It’s a timely reminder of what positive things can be achieved when people set aside past differences and come together in the spirit of friendship and reconciliation. And, as we all look forward to the start of a new decade, it’s worth remembering that it is often the small steps, not the giant leaps, that bring about the most lasting change.

And so, I wish you all a very happy Christmas.

The lyrics of the carol mentioned by the Queen:

It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

It came upon the midnight clear

That glorious song of old

From angels playing near the Earth

To touch their harps of gold

Peace on the earth could will two men

From Heaven’s all-gracious King

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing

And I hear them singing

Sing, I do hear them singing

The first Noel the angel did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay

In fields where they lay, they keeping their sheep

On a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Still through the cloven skies they come

With peaceful wings unfurled

And still their heavenly music floats

Over all the weary world

Above its sad and lowly plains

They bend on hovering wind

And ever over its Babel sounds

The blessed angels sing

The Queen’s Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the monarch to the 52 member states in the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas.

Originally called the King’s Christmas Message when the tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by King George V, the message has been read by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952.

The Queen typically uses the speech as a chance to reflect on the year and the major events that have occurred throughout it. She also makes a comment on her own personal milestones of the year and expresses her opinion on Christmas in general.

When and where can I watch or listen to it?

The Queen’s Christmas Message is embargoed until 3pm on Christmas Day. It is then broadcast on BBC One, ITV, Sky 1, and Sky News from 3pm until 3.10pm. You can also listen to it on BBC Radio 4.

In 2015, the Queen’s message was the most watched Christmas Day programme, pulling in 7.5 million viewers in total, beating Downton Abbey’s 6.9 million.

Who writes the speech?

While poet and author Rudyard Kipling drafted the first speech for King George V, the Queen writes her own Christmas speeches and it is one of only a few instances where she is able to speak publicly without any advice from her ministers.

Planning begins months earlier once the Queen decides on her theme of the year. From there appropriate archive footage is collected and assembled for the speech which is recorded a few days before Christmas.

Why is it done?

King George V’s original Christmas speech in 1932 was intended to be a one-off event as a way to inaugurate the BBC World Service, but over the years it has become one of the most important events in the royal calendar, and a Christmas staple for those living in the Commonwealth.

It was firmly established as tradition during the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 where King George VI, in his first Christmas as the King, sought to reassure people and boost morale.

What is the Alternative Christmas Message?

Since 1993 Channel 4 has been broadcasting an alternative Christmas message to the Queen’s Christmas Message broadcast on BBC, ITV, and Sky.

Sometimes it is a humorous message – Marge and Lisa Simpson gave the speech in 2004, where they compared the “special relationship” between the UK and the US to the relationship between Mini Me and Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers films.

source: The Telegraph

Script of the 1940 speech:

I’m wishing you all good evening. I feel that I’m speaking to friends and companions who have shared with my sister and myself many a happy Children’s Hour. Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister Margaret Rose and I  feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those whom we love most of all. To you living in new surroundings we send a message of true sympathy and at the same time we would like to thank the kind people who have welcomed you to their homes in the country. All of us children who are still at home think continually of our friends and relations who have gone overseas, who have travelled thousands of miles to find a wartime home and a kindly welcome in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States of America.

My sister and I feel we know quite a lot about these countries. Our father and mother have so often talked to us of their visits to different parts of the world. So it is not difficult for us to picture the sort of life you are all leading and to think of all the new sights you must be seeing and the adventures you must be having. But I’m sure that you too are often thinking of the old country. I know you won’t forget us. It is just because we are not forgetting you that I want on behalf of all the children at home to send you our love and best wishes to you and your kind hosts as well. Before I finish I can truthfully say to you all that we children at home are full of cheeerfulness and courage. We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers and airmen and we are trying too to bear our own share of the danger and the sadness of war. We know, every one of us that in the end all will be well for God will care for us and give us victory and peace and when peace comes remember it will be for us the children of today to make the world of tomorrow a better and happier place. My sister is by my side and we are both going to say good night to you. Come on, Margaret.

Good night, children, good night and good luck to you all.

A beaming Prince Harry said they were “absolutely thrilled” and thanked the public for their support.

He said Meghan and the baby were doing “incredibly well”, adding that they were still thinking about names for the infant, who was delivered at 05:26 BST.

Buckingham Palace said the baby weighed 7lbs 3oz (3.2kg), and that the duke was present for the birth.

It added: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer have been informed and are delighted with the news.

“The duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild, is with their Royal Highnesses at Frogmore Cottage.”

A framed notice of birth has been placed on display on a ceremonial easel on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, where it will remain until 20:00 on Monday.

The baby boy is seventh in line to the throne, behind the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and his children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – and Prince Harry.

He is the Queen’s eighth great-grandchild.

Speaking after the birth, Harry added the child had been “a little overdue” and that he planned to make another announcement in two days’ time “so everyone can see the baby”.

Asked what it was like to be present for the birth, he laughed and said: “I haven’t been at many births. This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I’m so incredibly proud of my wife.

“As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I’m just over the moon.”

He added: “It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined.

“How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.”

The baby is a dual citizen, having automatically acquired US citizenship, via Meghan, at birth.

Speaking to the Sun, Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, congratulated the new parents and spoke of his pride at the birth.

“I am proud that my new grandson is born into the British royal family and I am sure that he will grow up to serve the crown and the people of Britain with grace, dignity, and honour,” he said from his home in Mexico.

Charles Spencer – brother of Diana, Princess of Wales and uncle to Harry – tweeted his congratulations.

He wrote: “Really very lovely news today – many, many, congratulations!”

So what’s going on with the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first child?

Buckingham Palace announced some weeks ago that there would be no information given out about the birth, beyond that it was happening.

And so it was that shortly before 14:00 BST on Monday, a brief statement from Buckingham Palace announced that Meghan had gone into labour, followed 40 minutes later by confirmation of the baby’s arrival – a boy, weighing 7lbs 3oz.

That meant the strange British circus of journalists, photographers, royal superfans and bemused passers-by gawking at a hospital door for days on end would not happen.

Responding to the news, Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted: “Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the arrival of their baby boy. Wishing you all the best at this happy time.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn added: “Congratulations to Meghan and Harry on the birth of their baby. I hope they’re all doing well.”

And Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also offered her congratulations to the couple.

She wrote: “The birth of a baby is a joyful occasion – congratulations to Harry and Meghan.”

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who married the couple in May last year, said: “May God bless the new family with love, health and happiness.”

Harry and Meghan, a timeline

8 November 2016 – Kensington Palace releases a statement that confirms Prince Harry has been dating Meghan Markle “for a few months” and asks the press to respect their privacy

28 November 2017 – Harry and Meghan announce they are engaged to be married

15 December 2017 – Kensington Palace confirms the couple have chosen to wed in Windsor on 19 May the following year

19 May 2018 – Harry and Meghan are married in front of 600 guests at St George’s Chapel and become the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

15 October 2018 – Kensington Palace announces the duchess is pregnant, and is due to give birth in Spring 2019

6 May 2019 – Meghan gives birth to a boy, who becomes seventh in line to the throne

source: BBC

Listened to by millions of people around the world, it starts with a chorister singing the first verse of ’Once In Royal David’s City’.

The priest who introduced this service to King’s College Chapel exactly 100 years ago was Eric Milner-White.

He had served as a military chaplain in the First World War. Just six weeks after the armistice, he wanted a new kind of service, which with its message of peace and goodwill, spoke to the needs of the times.

2018 has been a year of centenaries. The Royal Air Force celebrated its 100th anniversary with a memorable fly-past demonstrating a thrilling unity of purpose and execution.

We owe them and all our Armed Services the deepest gratitude.

My father served with the Royal Navy during the First World War. He was a midshipman on board HMS Collingwood at the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

The British fleet lost 14 ships and 6,000 men in that engagement.

My father wrote in a letter: “How and why we were not hit, beats me.”

Like others, he lost friends in the war. At Christmas, we become keenly aware of loved ones who have died, whatever the circumstances.

But of course, we would not grieve if we did not love.

Closer to home it has been a busy year for my family.

With two weddings and two babies, and another child expected soon, it helps to keep a grandmother well occupied.

We have had other celebrations too, including the 70th birthday of the Prince of Wales.

Some cultures believe a long life brings wisdom. I’d like to think so.

Perhaps part of that wisdom is to recognise some of life’s baffling paradoxes, such as the way human beings have a huge propensity for good, and yet a capacity for evil.

Even the power of faith, which frequently inspires great generosity and self-sacrifice, can fall victim to tribalism.

But through the many changes I have seen over the years, faith, family, and friendship have been not only a constant for me but a source of personal comfort and reassurance.

In April, the Commonwealth Heads of Government met in London. My father welcomed just eight countries to the first such meeting in 1948.

Now the Commonwealth includes 53 countries with 2.4 billion people –  a third of the world’s population.

Its strengths lie in the bonds of affection it promotes, and a common desire to live in a better, more peaceful world.

Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.

Indeed the Commonwealth Games, held earlier this year on Australia’s Gold Coast, are known universally as the friendly games because of their emphasis on goodwill and mutual respect.

The Christmas Story retains its appeal since it doesn’t provide theoretical explanations for the puzzles of life.

Instead, it is about the birth of a child, and the hope that birth 2,000 years ago brought to the world.

Only a few people acknowledged Jesus when he was born, now billions follow him.

I believe this message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone – it’s needed as much as ever.

A very Happy Christmas to you all.

The rules are:

1. No-one should open their presents until given permission by Prince Philip, who supervises the proceedings.

2. Every pesent should be a cheap „joke gift”. The cheaper the better. The most memorable Christmas presents down the years are a ’Ain’t Life a Bitch’ bath hat given the Queen by Harry, a ’grow-your-own-girlfriend’ kit given to Harry by Kate (before he began dating Meghan Markle), and a white leather toilet seat given by Princess Anne to Prince Charles, although he actually liked it so much that he now takes it with him on overseas tours. Princess Diana once fell foul of the family’s ’cheap and cheerful’ motto when on her first Christmas at Sandringham as a newly-wed in 1981 she bought everyone cashmere sweaters and mohair scarves to general amusement. Princess Anne, in return, handed over a loo-roll holder. But the next year Princess Diana cracked it when she gave Fergie a leopard print bath mat.

The Royal Family has some other quirky Christmas traditions including giving over 1,500 Christmas puddings to palace staff and dressing up in a black tie for an intimate family dinnner. The Queen and Prince Philip stay in Sandringham until early February in memory of Her Majesty’s late dad George VI, who died at the estate on February 6, 1952. Not in the least superstitious the Queen insists on the Christmas decorations remaining up until she leaves.

Can you find the equvivalent of these Hungarian sentences in the script?

1. Egyáltalán nem babonás.

2. Senkinek sem szabad kibontania az ajándékát.

3. Minél olcsóbb, annál jobb.

4. Szigorú eljárásokat és szabályokat kell követni.

5. A királyi családnak más fura karácsonyi szokása is van.

Key

1. Not in the least superstitious.

2. No-one should open their presents.

3. The cheaper the better.

4. Strict procedures and rules that must be followed.

5. The Royal Family has some other quirky Christmas traditions.

Making Mince Pies in the Royal Kitchen

‘Give yourself plenty of time,’ says Royal Pastry chef Kathryn Cuthbertson — It’s her number one tip to anyone making mince pies at Christmas.

‘Pastry is not something that likes to be rushed,’ agrees Chef de Partie, Victoria Scupham, who Kathryn hired six years ago to work alongside her. They also recommend ‘having cold hands’ when working with pastry,  which will help keep it at the right consistency.

Together they now have over 17 years experience inside the Royal Kitchens and will create over 1200 mince pies for each of the festive receptions held at the Palaces around Christmas time. ‘It’s probably thousands each,’ laughs Kathryn, when asked for the exact calculation, ‘but as long as you are organised, it’s doable.’

Royal Chefs also create different variations of the classic mince pie; one is slightly smaller than the traditional, with flakedalmonds brushed with egg whites and icing sugar, ‘to add a bit of texture,’ says Kathryn. The mincemeat includes golden sultanas, currants and russet apples. Another version is made with puff pastry.

Everything from the mincemeat to the pastry is handmade by the small team in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace. The mincemeat is made months in advance and stored in the pantry.

For receptions, hosted during the season for charities and organisations close to the members of The Royal Family, Kathryn and Victoria are also making gingerbread biscuits from scratch, decorated with white icing.

‘You can even use them to hang on the Christmas tree,’ says Victoria. ‘The biscuits are sturdy enough to hold a ribbon and the best thing is they last a while – so you can make them in advance.’

Victoria is also busy making Sablés à la Confiture, better known to most as Jammy Dodgers, with homemade jam.

For chocolate lovers, there’s also the roulade, cut up into slices and served to guests on silver platters.

All the recipes are included in Royal Collection Trust’s book, Royal Teas: Seasonal Recipes from Buckingham Palace.

Giving gifts

Queen Elizabeth has a lot of people on her Christmas shopping list. So to make things easy, she gets them all the same thing.

According to the Royal Family’s official website, the Queen pays for 1,500 Christmas puddings to be distributed to her staff in the palaces, including the Court Post Office and the palace police force. Each one comes with a note signed by her and Prince Phillip.

In total, there are about 550 people on that list, which means that each staff member gets three puddings to share with their friends or families.

The pudding tradition began with the queen’s grandfather, King George VI. Harrod’s used to supply the treats, but the Queen switched to more inexpensive Tesco puddings in 1999 and donated her Harrod’s loyalty card points to a homeless shelter, according to Express.

In addition to Christmas pudding, royal biographer Brian Hoey wrote on WalesOnline that staff receive gift cards ranging from £28 to £35 (about $37 to $46) depending on how long they’ve worked at the palace. Staff who have been there for less than a year don’t qualify for either item and have to wait until next year to receive them.

After all of the gifts are distributed, the Queen enjoys a pudding herself at the royal Christmas celebrations in Sandringham.

source: Insider

Their mince pie recipe:

Festive Mince Pies

Ingredients:

For the Mincemeat

zest and some juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

2 tablespoons brandy

1 tablespoon of port

1 tablespoon of rum

1 tablespoon of sherry

120g (1 cup) suet

160g (3/4 cup) golden sultanas

100g (1/2 cup) raisins

100g (1/2 cup) mixed peel

100g (1/2 cup) currants

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1.2 teaspoon ground cloves

160 (6oz) russet apples, peeled and grated

500g (1lb 2 oz) sweet pastry

Egg washed for sticking lids on the bases

Granulated sugar for the top of the mince pies before baking

Icing sugar for dusting

Equipment:

12 hole non-stick shallow baking tray or

mince pie tin 32 x 24 cm/ 12.5 x 9″

fluted or plain cutters

Method

Place all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir. Then add all the liquid and grated apple and allow to soak for at least one week in a 1kg kilner jar sat in the fridge or pantry.

Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F, gas mark 5)

Roll the sweet pastry into a sheet approximately 2 to 3 mm thick, place on a tray, and allow to rest in the fridge. Once rested, cut tops and bottoms for your mince pies using fluted or plain cutters (selecting sizes to fit your tin). Place the pie bases into the tin and prick them with a small knife or fork to prevent the pastry from rising during the baking.

Spoon a teaspoon of the home-made mincemeat into the base and egg wash the edge of the pastry to enable the lids to stick. Place the mince pies in the fridge to rest for another 30 minutes, then add a pastry top to each, egg washing it and pricking a small hole in the top to allow the steam to escape. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Place the baking tray on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake the pies for about 15 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden and the mincemeat starts to boil slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before taking the pies out of their tin.

Sprinkle the mince pies with icing sugar and serve immediately. To add a festive feel, the mince pie tops could be shaped with a star cutter or perhaps a holly-shaped cutter.

Breast is best?

Not for royalty – or at least not until the 20th century. Breastfeeding was taboo, and was seen as repulsive, inconvenient and downright dangerous. Upper class women appointed other upper class women (though not as upper class as themselves, obviously) as wet nurses to feed the baby.

They weren’t allowed garlic, spices or alcohol in case these affected the flavour of their milk. What an exciting diet that would have been. In the 18th century, babies were suckled on a range of pointy objects like horns and pickled cow nipples, which sounds a bit painful and not very appetising. They were given cow or goat milk rather than human milk or, alternatively, honey and sugar water for the first month; then thin oatmeal porridge or flour or cereal mixed into a hot broth. Thank goodness powdered milk came along in the 19th century.

Attitudes had changed by the 20th century, so the Queen, Princess Diana and Kate are all believed to have breastfed their babies. However, as every exhausted mother knows, just because you breastfeed your first child doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll breastfeed your subsequent ones. Five a day Darren McGrady, a former royal chef known as, er, ‘The Royal Chef’ has reportedly said that Princes William and Harry were fed fruit and vegetable purees. OK, so all babies are fed fruit and veg purees – but this was no ordinary supermarket baby food. The nanny would select a ‘daily menu’ and send it over to the kitchens, often consisting of apples and pears from the Queen’s Sandringham estate, steamed, mashed and sieved twice to remove the lumps. As the babies got older, one chef in the palace kitchen would puree chicken, lamb or beef; and another would do the same with cooked vegetables such as peas, carrots and cauliflower – and then the two would be mixed together. The new royal baby is likely to be fed on organic produce championed by Prince Charles.

As another former royal chef, Carolyn Robb, has pointed out, much of it may come from the gardens and orchards of the royal estates – for instance, lamb from Highgrove and milk from the cows kept there. Although Kate, who’s fond of eating healthily, would have some input into the baby’s diet, the nanny would have the upper hand. Kate is less formal and more hands-on than previous royal mums, so she may in fact have fewer chefs and nannies and rely more on her mother Carole Middleton’s advice. Whatever the new baby eats, they’ll be introduced to a wide range of flavours at an early age in order to prepare them for a lifetime of travelling and eating adventurously around the world.

source: metro.co.uk

Baby vocabulary. Can you match the words and their Hungarian meaning?

Key

1. d. 2. a. 3. g. 4. b. 5. c. 6. j. 7. e. 8. i. 9. f. 10. h.

The royal family ― sans Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip ― showed up for Prince Louis Arthur Charles’ christening on Monday 9th July.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s youngest son was christened by the archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby. Welby recently officiated at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on May 19. He also performed Meghan’s secret baptism.

The christening took place at the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace in London.

Prince William and the former Kate Middleton were joined at the christening by both of their families. Those in attendance included Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall; Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; Carole and Michael Middleton; Prince George and Princess Charlotte, James Middleton, Pippa Middleton and her husband, James Matthews.

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a cream Alexander McQueen with a fascinator from Jane Taylor, according to People, while Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, chose an an olive Ralph Lauren dress with a hat by Stephen Jones.

Little baby Louis wore a handmade replica of the Royal Christening Robe, the palace said, which was made by the queen’s longtime dressmaker, Angela Kelly.

Prince Louis today was the eighth royal baby to be christened in the Honiton lace and white satin gown first used at the christening of James, Viscount Severn in 2008.

The frilly cream outfit is a replica of the intricate lace and satin christening gown made for Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter that was used for all royal baptisms until Lady Louise Windsor’s in 2004.

Prince Louis’ six godparents were also there. The group ― Nicholas van Cutsem, Guy Pelly, Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, Lady Laura Meade, Mrs. Robert Carter and Lucy Middleton ― was announced prior to the ceremony, in a statement put out by Kensington Palace.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip couldn’t make it the event. Buckingham Palace said their busy week of engagements, not health problems, was the reason, according to the Press Association.

Prince William and the former Kate Middleton later hosted a tea at Clarence House, where they served a christening cake made from a tier of their wedding cake, the palace said.

Prince Louis is fifth in line to the throne, after Charles, William, George and Charlotte.

Louis, Charlotte and George likely will be joined soon by a new cousin, as Pippa Middleton is expecting her first child with her hedge-fund husband James Matthews.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister recently confirmed her pregnancy in the fitness column she writes for the supermarket magazine Waitrose Weekend.

Kate Middleton arrived for the christening holding a sleeping Prince Louis in her arms as she was joined by William, George, Charlotte and fellow royals (but Queen and Prince Philip missed the occasion).

The Duchess of Cambridge cradled a sleeping Prince Louis in her arms as they arrived for his christening on Monday afternoon.

Radiant Kate, 36, beamed as she was greeted by the Archbishop of Canterbury outside Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, London.

By her side was her husband the Duke of Cambridge, 36, who arrived holding the hands of Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, three.

The Cambridges were followed into the chapel by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Uncle Harry reportedly bought little Louis the perfect gift for the occasion. According to The Sun, Harry purchased a first edition of A.A Milne’s classic book, Winnie-The-Pooh, for his nephew.

Harry reportedly spent roughly £8,000 on the book The sweet gift was inspired by Harry’s childhood memories, a source told The Sun. “One of Harry’s happiest childhood memories was being read a bedtime story by his mother,” an insider told the newspaper. “She loved all the old classics and Harry had the brilliant idea of starting a little library of first editions for Louis, Charlotte and George to enjoy as they get older.”

Originally, Harry reportedly wanted to buy Through The Looking Glass for Louis, which was on sale for £24,000, but he decided on A.A. Milne’s timeless story instead. 30,000 versions of 1926’s original Winnie-The-Pooh were published, and Harry reportedly bought Louis’s copy from Peter Harrington, a rare book store in London.

source: Huffington Post, Breaking News, Town and Country

When was Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne and why?

Princess Elizabeth, then aged 25, was in Kenya on a royal tour when she learned of her father George VI’s death in 1952.

The King, who was ill with lung cancer and other ailments, had ignored doctors’ advice to see his daughter off from London Airport on January 31.

Elizabeth and her husband Philip planned to travel to Australia after a week in Kenya.

But on the morning of February 6, the King was found dead from a coronary thrombosis in his bed at Sandringham in Norfolk. Philip broke the news to his wife.

The Princess, eldest of the monarch’s two daughters and first in line to the throne, flew back to London as Queen.

She formally proclaimed her accession at a meeting of the Accession Council – a ceremonial body made up of privy councillors, peers and senior officials – at St James’s Palace on February 8.

Queen Elizabeth II said: “By the sudden death of my dear father I am called to assume the duties and responsibilities of sovereignty.

“My heart is too full for me to say more to you today than I shall always work, as my father did throughout his reign, to advance the happiness and prosperity of my peoples, spread as they are all the world over.”

How is Accession Day celebrated and what happens in a royal gun salute?

February 6 is celebrated every year with church services and official functions across the country.

Flags are flown and soldiers fire gun salutes in London’s Green Park and the Tower of London, and also at Woolwich, Colchester, Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Cardiff, Belfast, York, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Dover Castle.

The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery fires a 41-gun salute in Green Park every year on Accession Day.

The 41-gun royal gun salute in Green Park takes place at midday.

The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery in full dress uniform ride out from Wellington Barracks and parade past Buckingham Palace.

Six First World War era 13-pounder guns are pulled across the park by teams of six horses each.

The guns are detached and soldiers fire blanks a total of 41 times at ten second intervals, sending up puffs of white smoke.

source: The Sun

Events of the Queen’s life. Can you match the events and the dates?

Key

1. d.

2. a.

3. b.

4. e.

5.  c.

Meghan Markle is basically living every girl’s dream right now: she just got engaged to Prince Harry, with their wedding set for spring 2018. But what do we know about her? Some things may surprise you, so keep reading to find out more about this incredible woman!

1. What’s in a Name?

Meghan is actually her middle name. Her first name is Rachel, which, if you watched her on Suits, is her character’s name! That’s a pretty neat coincidence if you ask us.

2. Deal, or No Deal?

Before she joined Suits, Meghan was a briefcase model for just one season in 2006 on the popular show Deal or No Deal. She found her time there to be uncomfortable, as she wore five-inch heels and hoped for someone to call her number so she could sit down.

3. Flower Power

Her mom gave her the nickname “Flower” as a child, and she posts tons of photos on her Instagram of peonies, her favourite flower.

4. Love of the Written Word

If you ever need someone with gorgeous writing, be sure to call her up! When she was struggling to make ends meet before becoming famous, she relied on her calligraphy skills for weddings and events to pay her bills. “I think handwritten notes are a lost art form,” she has said. She even did the invites for Robin Thicke and Paula Patton’s wedding.

5. So Romantic!

Further to her finding handwritten notes to be a lost art form (let’s face it, they kind of are!), Markle says she finds it romantic and beautiful if a man handwrites a letter to a woman. Wonder if this is how Prince Harry snagged her!

6. It Doesn’t Matter if You’re Black or White

Markle has embraced being biracial, stating that she is confident in who she is. She’s incredibly close with her mom, Doria Radlan, too, and ignores the cruel comments that her mom isn’t her biological mother since their skin colors are so different. And don’t even think about airbrushing her photos: it drives her nuts when her freckles are taken away or her skin tone is lightened.

7. Bright Lights Called Her

Markle was shown the entertainment world at an early age; her dad, Thomas W. Markle, was an Emmy Award-winning lighting director for Married…With Children, and he would often take her to set.

8. Mom Knows Best

Markle’s mother Doria has had a great influence on her life. As a yoga instructor, her mom brought her to “mommy and me classes” when she was little. She also made sure her daughter was a “global citizen,” and they travelled to many remote places that opened Markle’s eyes to poverty and the harsh realities and challenges many around the world faced.

9. She’s a Humanitarian

Markle was an ambassador with World Vision Artist Collective, helping children in Rwanda to get an education. She’s also been a counsellor for One Young World, and has worked as an advocate for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. “I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches,” she’s said. “I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works.” You keep doing what you love, Meghan!

10. This Beauty Has Brains, Too!

Markle completed her Communications degree from Northwestern University. After graduating, she travelled to Buenos Aires, where she worked for the U.S. Embassy. She hasn’t ruled out more schooling, either, saying that she’s considered going for her Masters.

11. And They Called it Puppy Love

When Markle was at an animal shelter checking out dogs, Ellen Degeneres just happened to be there at the same time! Degeneres told Markle she should adopt the Lab/Shepherd mix she was looking at, so she did. Markle has had Bogart ever since, and she also has another dog named Guy. Super cute!

12. Fashionista

Canadian women’s retailer Reitman’s brought Markle on board in 2016. Her collection mixed couture style and her casual vibe. She even starred in commercials for the brand.

13. Never Stop Learning

In the 2005 movie A Lot Like Love, she was taught to drive stick just one hour before filming a scene that required her to do so!

14. No Place Like Home

Markle was a major fixture on the TV show Suits, which films in Toronto, Canada. She lived in the city from 2011 until just this year, and would frequently show off her incredible decorating on her Instagram account with photos of her Toronto home. In the photos, she also showed fans just how large her shoe collection is and her love of books (they’re even color-coordinated!).

15. Second Time’s the Charm

This will be Markle’s second marriage. She married producer Trevor Engelson in 2011; they divorced just two years later. Generally speaking, the Royals don’t marry divorcees, but Prince Harry’s own father, Prince Charles, remarried Camilla Parker Bowles after he divorced Princess Diana (Bowles was also previously married). The Church of England agreed in 2002 that those who are divorced could be allowed to marry again in church.

16. From Royal Court to the Tennis Court

Recently married Serena Williams will very likely be on the guest list for Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding. The two are great friends, and Markle even refers to the tennis star as her confidante. The women met at a charity football match, and Markle even shows up to Williams’ tennis matches when she can.

17. Who Needs Expensive Creams?

She’s just like you and me! Markle says she uses Nivea Q10 Firming Body Lotion all the time. She loves how affordable it is, and how it makes her skin look and feel. Please excuse us while we go buy a bottle (or three).

18. It’s a Blogger’s World

Markle had a lifestyle blog for about three years, with the site closing down earlier this year. On The Tig, she posted recipes, DIY tips, and more. It’s too bad it’s no longer around; she likely would have had great posts once she officially became a Royal.

19. Can We Come to a Dinner Party?

Markle loves cooking! Her go-to dish is a roasted chicken, and she brings it to dinner parties wherever she goes. She calls it a “game changer,” saying that it makes her a lot of friends.

20. Fighting for Equality, Even at an Early Age

She may love to cook, but she doesn’t agree that a woman’s place is in the kitchen. When she was 11, she penned a letter to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton to complain about an ad for soap that claimed women should be in the kitchen; the company later changed the ad.

21. Sweet Moments

That famous roast chicken played a role on the night Prince Harry proposed. He said it was just a typical night for the pair, and while making a dinner of roast chicken, he got down on one knee and popped the question. He barely got the words out before she said yes! She was so caught up in the moment that he asked if he could give her the ring, since he didn’t get that far before she agreed to be his wife.

22. Age Ain’t no Thing

Markle’s actually older than Prince Harry by three years. Though he may be younger, he still protects her—when rumors of their coupling began, he stepped up to protect her from all of the bullying, abuse, and harassment she was suffering at the hands of social media trolls.

23. Sexy Television

Meghan Markle admitted that while filming her first sex scene in Suits, she actually found it a little “weird,” and that shooting the racy romps that fans love was often a little odd. When asked about what scenes were specifically tough to shoot, she said, “Sex in the file room was weird. Yeah, that was a little strange.”

Her co-star, 35-year-old Patrick J. Adams said, “Meghan and I are like brother and sister at this point, so a scene like that is basically just hilarious for us to shoot, but also really fun, because for these characters this is a big moment.”

24. Romance

Markle and Prince Harry haven’t been together that long: about a year and a half. Rumors of their relationship began in October 2016, but the palace didn’t confirm it until closer to the end of that year. All of these rumors ended up making her the most Googled actress of 2016.

Markle met her husband-to-be through a mutual friend, who set them up on a blind date. This date set forth a whirlwind romance, with each falling quickly in love with the other. Markle “just tripped and fell into my life,” the Prince says. *Swoon*

25. All That Glitters

Markle’s engagement ring truly is something special. Prince Harry created the ring himself with help from British jeweler Cleave and Company. One large diamond he got from Botswana flanks two smaller stones from his mother Princess Diana’s personal collection. The Prince loves Africa, and took his future bride to Botswana earlier this year. Maybe he picked up the stone then?

26. True Love Trumps All

Markle will be the first American to marry into the British Royal family since 1937. The Duke of Windsor, the former King Edward VIII, married American socialite Wallis Simpson. He would abdicate the throne when a decree said he could not marry Simpson (also a divorcee) while being King. Luckily for Markle, the Royals aren’t quite as staunch anymore (and Harry isn’t the heir to the throne).

source: factinate.com

QUEEN (in archival footage): Television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes on Christmas Day. My own family often gather round to watch television, as they are at this moment. And that is how I imagine you now.

Six decades on, the presenter has evolved somewhat, as has the technology she described. Back then, who could have imagined that people would one day be watching this on laptops and mobile phones, as some of you are today?

But I’m also struck by something that hasn’t changed – that whatever the technology, many of you will be watching this at home.

We think of our homes as places of warmth, familiarity and love – of shared stories and memories – which is perhaps why, at this time of year, so many return to where they grew up. There is a timeless simplicity to the pull of home. For many, the idea of home reaches beyond a physical building, to a home town or city.

This Christmas, I think of London and Manchester, whose powerful identities shone through over the past 12 months, in the face of appalling attacks. In Manchester, those targeted included children who had gone to see their favourite singer.

A few days after the bombing, I had the privilege of meeting some of the young survivors and their parents.

I described that hospital visit as a privilege because the patients I met were an example to us all, showing extraordinary bravery and resilience. Indeed, many of those who survived the attack came together just days later for a benefit concert. It was a powerful reclaiming of the ground and of the city those young people call home.

We expect our homes to be a place of safety – sanctuary, even – which makes it all the more shocking when the comfort they provide is shattered. A few weeks ago, the Prince of Wales visited the Caribbean in the aftermath of hurricanes that destroyed entire communities.

And here, in London, who can forget the sheer awfulness of the Grenfell Tower fire? Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who died and those who lost so much, and we are indebted to members of the emergency services who risked their own lives this past year, saving others.

Many of them, of course, will not be at home today, because they are working to protect us. Reflecting on these events makes me grateful for the blessings of home and family and, in particular, for 70 years of marriage. I don’t know that anyone had invented the term ‘platinum’ for a 70th wedding anniversary. When I was born, you weren’t expected to be around that long.

Even Prince Philip has decided it’s time to slow down a little, having, as he economically put it, done his bit. But I know his support and unique sense of humour will remain as strong as ever as we enjoy spending time this Christmas with our family, and look forward to welcoming new members into it next year.

In 2018, I will open my home to a different type of family, the leaders of the 52 nations of the Commonwealth, as they gather in the UK for a summit.

The Commonwealth has an inspiring way of bringing people together, be it through the Commonwealth Games, which begin in a few months’ time on Australia’s Gold Coast, or through bodies like the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra and Choir – a reminder of how truly vibrant this international family is.

Today, we celebrate Christmas, which, itself, is sometimes described as a festival of the home. Families travel long distances to be together.

Volunteersand charities, as well as many churches, arrange meals for the homeless and those who would otherwise be alone on Christmas Day. We remember the birth of Jesus Christ, whose only sanctuary was a stable in Bethlehem. He knew rejection, hardship and persecution.

And, yet, it is Jesus Christ’s generous love and example which has inspired me through good times and bad. Whatever your own experience is this year, wherever and however you are watching, I wish you a peaceful and very happy Christmas.

The Queen and His Royal Highness celebrate their Wedding Anniversary on Monday, 20th November 2017.

The portraits, by British photographer Matt Holyoak of Camera Press, were taken in the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle in early November.

The Queen and His Royal Highness are framed by Thomas Gainsborough’s 1781 portraits of George III and Queen Charlotte, who were married for 57 years.

The marriage of the then Princess Elizabeth to Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten took place at Westminster Abbey on 20th November 1947.

The facts:

1. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip first met in 1934 at the wedding of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George, Duke of Kent.

2. Their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947.

3. The wedding took place just four months later, at 10.30am on 20 November 1947 at Westminster Abbey.

4. On April 26 1923, The Queen’s parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (then the Duke and Duchess of York) were also married at the Abbey.

5. The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) was the 10th member of The Royal Family to be married at Westminster Abbey.

6. The first Royal wedding to take place in the Abbey was on 11 November 1100, when King Henry I married Princess Matilda of Scotland.

7. On the morning of his wedding, Prince Philip was created The Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the County of London.

8. Together with her father, George VI, Princess Elizabeth arrived at the Abbey in the Irish State Coach.

9. Princess Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids: HRH The Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon. Margaret Elpinstone and Diana Bowes-Lyon.

10. Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent served as page boys.

11. The Duke of Edinburgh’s best man was David Mountbatten, the Marquess of Milford Haven.

12. 2,000 guests were invited to the ceremony.

13. A number of foreign Royals attended the wedding, including; The King of Iraq, Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Princess Elisabeth of Luxembourg.

14. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett.

15. The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to 200 million people around the world.

16. The organist and Master of the Choristers at the Abbey, Australian William Neil McKie, was the director of music for the wedding.

17. McKie composed a motet (a vocal musical composition) for the occasion: “We wait for thy loving kindness, O God.”

18. Psalm 67 (“God be merciful unto us and bless us”) was sung into a setting by Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow, an English organist and composer.

19. The wedding anthem was “Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ” by Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

20. The hymns were “Praise, my soul, the king of heaven“, and “The Lord’s my Shepherd“, to the Scottish tune “Crimond” attributed to Jessie Seymour Irvine, which was largely unknown in the Church of England at the time.

21. The service started with a specially composed fanfare by Arnold Bax and finished with Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March“.

22. There were 91 singers; the abbey choir was joined by the choirs of the Chapel Royal and St George’s Chapel in Windsor.

23. The wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David’s mine, near Dolgellau.

24. The platinum and diamond engagement ring was made by the jewellers, Philip Antrobus, using diamonds from a tiara belonging to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.

25. Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress was designed by the Sir Norman Hartnell, who submitted designs for the dress. The winning design was approved mid-August, which was less than three months before the wedding.

26. Hartnell cited Botticelli’s famous painting Primavera, which symbolises the coming of spring, as his inspiration for the design.

27. The dress has a simple cut with fitted bodice, heart-shaped neckline with a low v-pointed waist and a floor-length panelled skirt.

28. Due to rationing measures in place following World War Two, Princess Elizabeth had to use clothing ration coupons to pay for her dress.

29. Hundreds of people from across the UK sent The Princess their coupons to help with the dress, although they had to be returned as it would be illegal to use them.

30. The dress has a 15-foot silk tulle full court train, which was attached at the shoulders, is embroidered in pearl, crystal and transparent applique tulle embroidery.

31. The satin for the applique was produced at Lullingstone Castle in Kent and woven by Warner & Sons.

32. The dress was made from duchesse satin, ordered from the firm of Wintherthur, near Dunfermline in Scotland.

33. The dress was decorated with crystals and 10,000 seed pearls, imported from the United States of America.

34. Princess Elizabeth’s outfit was completed with ivory duchesse satin high-heeled sandals, trimmed with silver and seed pearl buckles, made by Edward Rayne.

35.  Jewellery for the day included two pearl necklaces, the shorter of the two necklaces was the ‘Queen Anne’ necklace, said to have belonged to Anne, the last Stuart Queen.

36. The second pearl necklace is known as the ‘Queen Caroline’, and is said to have belonged to the wife of King George II.

37. Both necklaces were left to the Crown by Queen Victoria and were given to Elizabeth as a wedding present by her father, King George VI.

38. The diamond fringe tiara was lent to The Queen on her wedding day, the frame of the gem broke as the bride was putting it on and it had to be quickly repaired.

39. Norman Hartnell also designed Princess Elizabeth’s going-away outfit which was a dress and coat in mist-blue.

40. After the wedding, the dress was exhibited at St James’s Palace and was then went on tour across the UK, visiting Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Preston, Leicester, Nottingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Huddersfield.

41. The bridal bouquet consisted of white orchids and also included a sprig of myrtle, a tradition that was started by Queen Victoria.

42. The tradition started when Queen Victoria was given some myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother, which she planted at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

43. The day after the wedding the bouquet was sent back to Westminster Abbey, where it was laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior – another Royal tradition.

44. The Worshipful Company of Gardeners supplied the flowers for the bouquet, and it was arranged by the florist MH Longman.

45. After the service a wedding breakfast was held (at lunchtime) in the Ball-Supper Room at Buckingham Palace.

46. The menu was Filet de Sole Mountbatten, Perdreau en Casserole, Bombe Glacee Princess Elizabeth.

47. The wedding favours were individual posies of myrtle and white Balmoral heather.

48. The string band of the Grenadier Guards played music during the breakfast.

49. Famously, the newlyweds went onto balcony at Buckingham Palace to wave to the huge crowds on the mall.

50. The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents from around the world and around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations.

51. Mahatma Gandhi sent a present. It was a piece of cotton lace that he spun himself, and is embroidered with the words “Jai Hind” (Victory for India).

52. They also received many practical gifts; Queen Mary gave a bookcase and Princess Margaret gave a picnic case. Other gifts included a Singer sewing machine and a fridge!

53. The gifts were put on display at St James’s Palace where members of the public could come and see them.

54. Although the Royal couple received eleven wedding cakes, there was one official one which was baked by McVitie and Price.

55. The cake used ingredients from all around the world, including sugar from the Girl Guides in Australia, which gave the cake the name ‘The 10,000 Mile Cake’.

56. The cake was nine feet high in four tiers.

57. It was decorated with the arms of both families, including the monograms of the bride and groom, sugar-iced figures of their favourite activities, and regimental and naval badges.

58. The cake was cut using the Duke’s Mountbatten sword, which was a wedding present from The King.

59. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip spent their wedding night in Broadlands, Hampshire, the home of Philip’s uncle, Earl Mountbatten.

60. They travelled by train to Hampshire, departing from Waterloo Station. Princess Elizabeth’s Corgi, Susan, came with them.

61. The rest of their honeymoon was spent at Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate.

62. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary in the year of the coronation, with a dance at Clarence House given by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

63. In 1972, The Queen and The Duke celebrated their silver wedding anniversary with a Service at Westminster Abbey.

64. Later that day, The Queen and The Duke, along with The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal, attended a celebratory lunch at the Guildhall, hosted by the Lord Mayor and the Corporation of London.

65. In the evening, the Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal hosted a celebration party at Buckingham Palace

66. The Queen and The Duke celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1997, with a lunch at Banqueting House in London.

67. Her Majesty gave a speech at the occasion:

‘What a remarkable fifty years they have been: for the world, for the Commonwealth and for Britain.’

68. An identical copy of the wedding bouquet was made and presented to The Queen on her Golden Wedding in 1997.

69. In 2007, The Queen became the first British Monarch to have celebrated a diamond wedding anniversary.

70. United Biscuits, who now owns McVities, made two cakes to mark the diamond wedding anniversary in 2007.

source: The Royal Family/Facebook, royal.uk

Wedding words. Can you translate the Hungarian words into English?

1. menyasszony

2. vőlegény

3. koszorúslány

4. koszorúsfiú

5. eljegyzés

6. vőfély

7. mézeshetek

8. friss házasok

9. nászéjszaka

10. jegygyűrű

11. nászajándék

12. esküvői torta

Key

1. bride

2. (bride)groom

3. bridesmaid

4. page boy

5. engagement

6. best man

7. honeymoon

8. newlyweds

9. wedding night

10. wedding ring

11. wedding present

12. wedding cake