Monday, August 3, 2009

Channelling Grannie


The Fife Tiara

As I was hurtling around the house on Saturday arvo, doing my Sadie the Cleaning Lady act with vacuum cleaner, mop & bucket, I suddenly thought, 'I bet if I was wearing a tiara, I wouldn't be doing this!'. Then MOTH would be forced to say 'Here, my beautiful Princess, I can't bear to see your tiara slipping as you scrub - let me take over!'

Then my beloved Grannie came to mind. She was a true Royal groupie, devouring anything & everything Royal. She carefully cut out any pictures of the Royals (from the Women's Weekly, newspapers, Royal Tour programmes, etc.) & pasted them into big blank A3 scrapbooks. If I was having a sleep-over at her house as a little girl, she'd get them all out. We'd sit at the dining room table, just the two of us, with a glass of lemonade & piece of her famous Neopolitan Cake & she'd carefully turn the pages describing each picture & Royal in great detail.

At the Rowing Club Quiz Nights, I've occasionally won for our Team (& severely embarassed my anti-Royalist husband) by answering something obscure about the dear old Royals that's been stored deep within my subconscious for the best part of 45 years! My darling Dad (an ardent Republican) teased her, his dear Mother-in-Law mercilessly about this obsession & always called her The Duchess! However, none of this deterred her in the slightest, she just carried on, cutting & pasting the Royals until she died.

So to my gorgeous Grannie Edie, this post is for you & to everyone else ......here's some marvellous Monday morning bling & the gals who wore them. Which one would you like the Courtiers to dust off for you to wear today? I've got first dibs on The Fife!

...... and Princess Louise

The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara

...... and Princess Diana

The Poltimore Tiara

..... and Princess Margaret

The Empress Eugenie Tiara
..... and Empress Eugenie

The Kokoshnik Tiara
...... and Queen Elizabeth 11
The Indian Tiara

..... and the Duchess of Gloucester

The 'Girls of Great Britain and Ireland' Tiara

...... and Queen Mary

The Delhi Durbar

...... and the Duchess of Cornwall
The Burmese Ruby Tiara

...... and Queen Elizabeth 11


The Papyrus Tiara

...... and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

....... and Viscountess Linley

Image 1: Ancestry Images 2,8,10,18 : The Royal Forums Image 4 : Forum-Princess Diana Image 5: Flickr Image 6 : Charlene Day Photography Image 7: News Images 9, 11,12,15,16,19,20,21: Alexander Palace Image : Etoile Image 3,17, : Royal Exhibitions Image 13 : Royal Collection Image 14: Pricescope

20 comments:

  1. Ooooooooh Millie,

    I'm not sure which one I love the best, actually I love all of them.

    I can just picture you with your Tiara, (except, I have no idea what you look like, so that's a bit silly of me to say that.

    We should all have a Princess day at least once a week.

    xxxxx Coty

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  2. OOOOOhh is right Millie.. These are gorgeous. Diana was a true beauty and the The Papyrus Tiara and the Delhi Durbar are the standouts for me. My grandmother was the same. You know my brother was 'touched' by Prince Phillip [on the arm.. the arm] when he was about 8. He had painted the ship QEI [maybe] as a gift for the Queen when they were in Sydney some 40+yrs ago. Ran out into the parade to give it to her and Prince Phillip took it [greedy bugger]. He received a letter from the Queen thanking him. We kids thought we were famous then!:) PS my dentist is not good looking. You certainly started something with your comment. Have a great Monday. I know I will [bank holiday]. x Julie

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  3. What beautiful photos. I love that fact that all our grannies were so into the Royal Family. We have lost that. My daughter in fact has a range of tiaras including one that I bought for $20at Spotlight which looks just like the Papyrus Tiara. So you can get your own!

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  4. I met Princess Anne when I was 10 years old, she asked me about my hobbies and we ate cucumber sandwiches at Goverment House... I ask her were her Tiara was and she told me it was at the Palace...since then I have been a Princess by association he he!!!

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  5. Dear Princess Millie,

    I Love your pick of the Tiaras and how Royal of you!
    My favourites are the Poltimore and the Papyrus.
    I used to enjoy watching Princess Diana, as her clothes were always fabulous and she seemed to be lovely with it. She brought such a modern and fun change to the Royal family.

    Enjoy your week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  6. What a treat. I enjoyed that. My tiara is on display in my china cabinet along with my other beloved treasures that I treat my eyes to in my home. I was a football homecoming dutchess my senior year and we got to wear tiaras. I never thought of wearing it while cleaning, but if I did I'm sure Jason wouldn't think to take away my cleaning tools, he'd just shake his head and go back to watching the telley. Give it a try and let us know what MOTH says. Love ya, Heidi

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  7. Not sure which I like the best. My Grandma also loved the royals.Once she was given one of those picture frames which has cutouts for several photos and it came with pics of the royals in it. She hung it up as it was, and we didn't have the heart to tell her you were supposed to put your own photos in.

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  8. I've soooo loved everyone's comments so far today. It seems that there were many other Grannies who stalked the Royals too!

    Jan - I laughed so much at your story it hurt my poor recuperating 'innards'!

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  9. One couldn't possibly decide, could one? One would insist upon a Tiara Room right next door to the laundry. Meredith xo.
    p.s. I used to faithfully cut out all the Lady Di and then Princess Di photos from the Women's Weekly and just like your Grannie, transfer them to a scrapbook. When Princess Diana visited Australia in the early 80's I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Souvenier editions galore!

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  10. Please send me the The Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara and associated Bling. (I am sure there IS associated bling) Call the Bank of England they will know.

    This ensemble will look great with my multi coloured butterfly PJs.

    when one is unwell one ought to dress well, it helps moral.

    Jane of Janezworld
    Im not signed in and too tired to do so. Forgive. me.

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  11. Oh Jane, you never need apologize! Hope you chase away those dreary's very soon, your chosen tiara is on its way.

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  12. Millie,

    I think that the tiara and the feather duster are perfect together. Not sure how long that it would stay on whilst you are doing your chores but trying to keep it on whould be great for the posture, I think :-)

    Have a great week, hope that those innards are healing nicely!

    Leeann x

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  13. Well done Millie, lovely to begin the week with a bit of bling. I saw the tiara exhibition at the V&A a few years ago, it was spectacular! I think The Poltimore Tiara was my fav, but really they are all so pretty!

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  14. Oh Millie they are divine, I've got to choose just one! I could have one for each day of the week you know!

    Okay .... I'll have the "girls of Great Britan and Ireland" one ~ ta ever so!

    xxx

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  15. I was really enjoying reading this enlightening post, when a small person interrupted asking for a snack. As I was chopping some fruit for said snack, dreaming about these beautiful tiaras I sliced my thumb. So I best wear the Burmese Ruby today please...

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  16. Hi Millie...these are gorgeous...I think this Queen of the Armchair might be a bit partial to the Indian Tiara...a great post!!! Enjoy your week Millie...Dzintra♥x

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  17. I love them! Thank you, I think when I see my granddaughter today I will take some of my scrapbooks (crumbling) for her to look at. I'm still (50) years later so mad at my mom for giving my tiara away that I wore to proms in the 50's!

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  18. So much fun to see the close up photos of each tiara and current royals wearing them. Wonderful post, Millie! Thank you.

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  19. Gosh, I want them all. But I would feel rather silly unless I had the palace!

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  20. Gee I think I would be happy with any of them! what a gorgeous photo of Diana, she had something very special indeed. I loved this posting Millie - you did well, thanks so much....J

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And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

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