IF YA DON'T ACT ROYAL, YOU AIN'T ROYAL. Pt. 2

And then there was this ancient great grandmother of mine named Mehitable Spencer who hailed from the ancient Norman ‘Despencer’ line; among whose descendants were Winston Churchill and Princess Diana. (Our first common Despencer forebear of whom I am aware was chief clerk to 11^th Century William the Conqueror).

Princess Diana was my distant cousin, as are Prince William and Prince Harry. In spite of this rather notable and singular connection to British royalty, regrettably, I’ve never been invited to Buckingham Palace for tea. (Perhaps I’ll stop by and see the boys next year when I visit Great Britain).

I readily admit it. I have a somewhat mixed one way relationship with the so-called ‘royal’ members of my illustrious household. For you see, from my way of thinking some of my royal relatives, and other royals to whom they are related haven’t always conducted themselves in an especially royal manner.

Of course, there have been plenty of ‘Royal Shenanigans’ over the years; not the least of which were those of King Henry VIII. I mean ask Anne Boleyn. The least educated among us are aware of her sorry plight. Unable to bear a male heir to the throne, she was accused of adultery, and summarily beheaded on orders of her husband.

Fast forward to another “8^th,” the mid-20^th century King Edward VIII; uncle of the current Queen Elizabeth. When he became involved with a divorced ‘commoner’ Wallis Simpson, and refused to relent from his intention to make her his wife, he was deposed in favor of his brother. As a result, George VI was elevated to the throne, and the Royal Family ostracized Edward from their society the entire remainder of his life; (though he received a special, though temporary dispensation to attend his brother’s funeral).

If ya don't act royal, you ain't royal.

(to be continued)


by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "McDonald's Daily Diary." Vol. 73. Copyright pending.

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