don’t mention the war
We’re all more than aware that this year we’ll be hearing a whole lot about the Windsors. As every schoolboy used to know, the House of Windsor was adopted as the name of the British royal family in only 1917. Prior to this they were affectionally known as the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Queen Victoria having married her first cousin, the German Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.
Anti-German feeling during World War I led to George V’s decree of 17th July 1917: “Now, therefore, we, out of our royal will and authority, do declare and announce that as from the date of this, our royal proclamation, our house and family shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor.” That’s telling us. Probably.
When ‘Waity Katy’ joins the House of Saxe-Cobu…er, sorry, Windsor later this year, she will become Her Royal Highness the Princess William of Wales, Duchess of Somewhereorother and if William accedes to the throne, she’ll be the sixth queen consort named Catherine. Most of the others were married to Henry VIII.
Undoubtedly Kate Middleton will commonest of commoner queens. Camilla Parker Bowles, Princess of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and Rothesay and queen-consort-in-waiting, is a divorcee with two kids, who had no title prior to her marriage to Prince Charles. Her father was a wine merchant. Kate’s parents run a (highly successful) online children’s partyware business, though she’s apparently (very distantly) related to Prince William – 12th cousins once related! Sleep easy in your beds, readers, the House of Windsor, the Windsor dynasty, continues. Commemorative tea-towels and assorted paraphernalia will be available.
