Royal Style: monkey nuts or emeralds? The discussion continues...

[Maireas]

Hello! Join us for more witty, interesting and informative chats about royal style and beauty!

Another throwback!

They are very interrelated - Charles Spencer's grandmother, Lady Fermoy was a close confidante of the Queen Mother and it is said that the worked together to arrange the (unhappy) marriage between Charles' parents Johnny and Frances (married at 30 and 18 respectively). According to a Chanel 5 documentary I saw,the very young Frances Roche was removed from school at 15 as Lady Fermoy wished to throw her into the path of "bachelor of the year" Johnny Spencer aged 27. This was despite him being engaged to someone else at the time but he was "encouraged" to break the engagement to make the "better" society marriage to Lady Fermoy's daughter. Honestly the whole thing was like something from Jane Austen.

And yet 25 years later history repeated itself when Lady Fermoy and the Queen Mother once again decided to arrange a spectacular society marriage, this time between their grandchildren where Lady Fermoy's very young granddaughter Diana was married to the Queen Mother's much older grandson, Prince Charles.

Was it Anne Glenconner who Johnny was engaged to? I seem to recall something about a romance between them in her book, though I can't remember if it went as far as engagement.

I will say however, that Charles's Instagram account is very interesting as he shares lots of old family photos and historical tidbits about Althorp.

This was despite him being engaged to someone else at the time but he was "encouraged" to break the engagement to make the "better" society marriage to Lady Fermoy's daughter.

Better for the Fermoys, but certainly not for the Spencers, I think. The woman he spurned was Lady Anne Coke (later Glenconner), who was the daughter of the Earl of Leicester. I think the Earls of Leicester were considerably higher on the food chain of the aristocracy than the Baron Fermoys.

Yes - when she was Lady Anne Coke (debutante of the year) - his father strongly objected to the match (something to do with "mad blood"??? in the family)

Nearly time for a new thread!

That’s rich coming from a Spencer.

Afternoon all

Been a bit AWOL due to this rascal..

The latest addition to chez locketrocket 💛

Cute 🥰

A rascal puppy!

Gorgeous @locketrocket - looks like a bundle of mischief!

Congratulations on your new distraction @locketrocket ! 💛💛💛

Gorgeous puppy 🥰

C&C are in Australia and a montage of all his previous trips was projected onto the Sydney opera house. I'm guessing 1983 was diplomatically omitted!

Camilla was looking lovely in pale green and a straw hat at church this morning. She really has found her feet in her role.

Yes, I thought she looked lovely, too. She's definitely found her niche.

Yes, agree Camilla looked nice.

How kind of Max to lend Camilla The Pringle!

Nice video of them arriving. I like both the Queens outfits so far. For someone who allegedly never wanted to be Queen, she's doing a great job 👏
BBC News - King Charles begins Australia tour with church service
www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89lzznx0qpo

😂she wears it well!

I read that the 6 day visit to Australia has only 2.5 days of engagements as Charles' is under doctors' orders to rest. The New Zealand portion has also been cancelled - presumably it was announced before his diagnosis - and the Samoa portion also cut back.

Given all that I imagine the doctors' advice was really to cancel the whole tour but Charles felt it too important to miss entirely so is pressing on with what he can. It's also a long way to fly with a big entourage and a press pack for a short tour - not good environmentally. But those Aussie republicans need to see the pro monarchy support the royals can generate so I guess needs must.

Sisterhood of the travelling hat

Sisterhood of the travelling hat

There's a new thread title there! @ArdMhaca @Maireas

There were some nice photos of C&C having a stroll around in the garden at Admiralty House. Both looking relaxed, Camilla in a navy and white dress and a cardi wiearing sunglasses, Charles in an open-neck shirt, jacket and chinos.

I take my Pringle hat off to them both - that's some trip for them even if they're not having to queue up at Heathrow and stay in a Holiday Inn it's a very physically demanding few days.