An Apology with Compensation

Due to an error on my part, there was a mistake in my original upload of "Queen Victoria's Granddaughters" on Kindle, which meant that an unproofed file was uploaded. Consequently there were some glaring typing errors in copies purchased prior to yesterday evening. The mistake has now been rectified.

I apologise to readers who bought the book and in order to compensate for my mistake, I am making the Kindle version of  "Shattered Crowns: The Scapegoats"  free to everyone tomorrow, 24th February from midnight to midnight (Pacific Time, I think!). This applies to Kindle throughout all countries.

If you have a Kindle, feel free to download a free copy of the book!

Queen Victoria's Granddaughters 1860-1918

I am happy to announce that my new non-fiction book:

Queen Victoria's Granddaughters 1860-1918

is now available on Kindle.

 

Due to an agreement with Amazon and the publication of this book, it has been necessary to remove (at least temporarily) some of the posts on this blog (and my other blogs). I apologise to people who have been reading them but the information they contained is now available in the new book, and some of the posts will reappear after 90 days.

 

 

As I wrote in a previous post, this book is based on many years of research carried out as a labour of love. I hoped, in writing it, not simply to tell the already well-known stories of these fascinating princesses and their families, but rather to portray the connections in, for example, their health, spirituality, childhood, character, war work etc.

 

In obtaining permissions for the excerpts used in the book, I have had the good fortune to be in contact with with some very wonderful, gracious and kind people to whom I am most grateful, and all of whom I have acknowledged in the book. It is is a very lovely thing to find such support and kindness!

 

 

 



Serge & Richard

Remembering Grand Duke Serge Alexandrovich, murdered 17th February 1905.

 

Also, still pressing for Richard III to be buried in his beloved Yorkshire, I created a video:

 

 

Please Return Richard to York!

It’s absolutely understandable that Leicester wishes to keep the body of Richard III since so much effort went into his recovery there but, all things considered, it is surely only right that his last resting place should be in the north of England – in fact in Yorkshire at either York Minster, or in Sheriff Hutton.

Richard loved this place and was (and has remained) loved here. As the Richard III Society demonstrates, the City of York mourned his passing and recognised the loss of ‘Good King Richard’, ' … king Richard late mercifully reigning upon us was thrugh grete treason of the duc of Northfolk [sic] and many other that turned ayenst hyme, with many other lordes and nobilles of this north parties was piteously slane murdred to the grete hevynesse of this citie …'

for they had found him a great supporter of the rights of the people of Yorkshire.

From the Mayor and the Council of the city of York (1476) for his support:

'The saide day and tyme by the forsaide Maire and Counsaile it was holie agreed and assented that the Duk of Gloucestre shall for his grete labour of now late made unto the kinges good grace for the conservacion of the liberties of this Citie, that he shalbe presented at his commyng to the citie with vj swannes and vj pikes'.

A petition, created by Mark Cousins, is currently underway, which absolutely ‘nails’ the argument for his return to Yorkshire:

“He was the last King of the House of York and it is recorded that he was popular in and fond of the North and York in particular where he was regarded with much love and affection. It will also place him geographically closer to the remains of his son, Edward the Prince of Wales, whose remains lie in Sherriff Hutton church.”

I hope that a good many people will sign this petition and Richard will be laid to rest in the city that loved him.

Please click here and consider signing the petition!

Hurrah for King Richard III

Hurrah for King Richard III and perhaps an end to centuries of Tudor propaganda!

 

The wonderful work by the Richard III Society and the scientists/archaeologists of Leicester University as shown on last night’s Channel 4 programme “The King in the Car Park” has created such a huge turnaround in the view of this much maligned king who, I hastened to add as a northerner from Yorkshire, was always revered by northerners!

What is most interesting is the way that the reconstructed face of Richard differs so greatly from the image portrayed in Tudor propaganda! Even before the Tudors doctored his portrait to make him appear more sinister, the portrait of Richard was not very flattering – his mean lips and rather nasty eyes gave the impression of a not very pleasant man at all!

This image of the reconstruction (taken from the BBC website) shows a complete different man – a handsome man who looks nothing like Shakespeare’s evil plotter.

In recent times I have seen the same misuse of images to create a false impression of a king. The often-shown 20 seconds or so of Nicholas II dancing with his daughters on the deck of his yacht has been used to imply that he danced carelessly while his people starved. Obviously no one bothered to film the hour upon hour he spent working at his desk or mediating between opposing ministers, so one bit of footage creates the wrong impression of a hard-working and devoted Tsar.

Perhaps in the light of events surrounding Richard III, more people will be more inclined to take a look at history from a different perspective than that which is promoted by those who are funded by an establishment which often wishes to hoodwink people into believing lies. Anyone with even the slightest interest in the truth about Richard III, might also take a look at the truth surrounding the myth (lies) about the causes of World War 1 and the utterly evil settlement (arranged by bankers and lawyers): The Treaty of Versailles...