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Question: Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester as king?

Why didn't Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester become king when George VI died? By everything that I know, as the next male in succession, George V's third son should have become king after the first abdicated and the second died.

The type of succession that you are referring to is called agnatic primogeniture. Inheritance according to the seniority of birth amongst the of sons of a monarch.

King George V had five sons. Prince Edward (future King Edward VIII), Prince Albert (future King George VI), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, Prince George, Duke of Kent and Prince John, who died as a child. After King George V's death, in 1936 and King Edward VIII's abdication in 1937, the next son came to the throne as King George VI. In 1937, at the start of King George VI's reign, the first four places in the line of succession were occupied by Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Prince George, Duke of Kent.

The succession to the British throne is by male preference primogeniture. Males have precedence over females, however if there is a female she is not excluded. Because of this, King George VI's elder daughter, Princess Elizabeth became the sovereign and not Prince Henry. If the King died without children, then Prince Henry would have become king in 1952 because he was next in line. If this had occurred then after King Henry IX's death in 1974, his son, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester would be king, possibly reigning as King Richard IV.

It is interesting to note that had King Edward VIII not abdicated and not had children, the succession would likely look as it does today. The only difference is that the present Queen would have come to the throne upon the death of her uncle in 1972 instead of 1952 when her father died.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Theme Thursday 34: Let's Go Camping!

I came up with this board while I was working on Alternative Wednesday this week.  I found a cute camping wedding with the bridesmaids in separates so I created a board around their looks!  I think camping/campground weddings are so casually fun and adore the wildflower bouquet in this board.  I'm starting to think wildflowers are the perfect touch to any casual outdoor wedding!

wedding love: a country fete wedding

I just adore this relaxed and sweet country fete wedding with its romantic and dreamy photographs and beautiful details.



It's the lovely wedding of Maike and Travis of welovepictures. Maike gathered so many beautiful details, many that she made herself... colourful bunting, hand picked flowers, sweet little blackboards and flower filled birdcages.

Maike and Travis were married under a rustic wooden 'chapel' with guests seated on hay bales. The couple even had a 'decorate your own cupcakes' table, yum! I also love the fact that Maike called her best friend the 'mate of honour' not maid, cute!

The next couple of photos are my favourite, they are so romantic and beautiful. 
aaaa

(Photography by Otto Schulze, found via Lanalou and The Pretty Blog)

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: A Gorgeous Bride by Unique Concepts Studio



The photographer caught this bride at an amazing moment during her wedding day. Gorgeous. Photography by Unique Concepts Studio, Inc in Philadelphia.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: A Gorgeous Bride by Unique Concepts Studio



The photographer caught this bride at an amazing moment during her wedding day. Gorgeous. Photography by Unique Concepts Studio, Inc in Philadelphia.

Is Prince William's hair destroying the monarchy?

The monarchy is facing its biggest crisis to date and they're powerless to do anything to prevent it. They didn't see it coming. Who would have thought it could ever happen? It started about five years ago, slowly chipping away at the the very foundation the monarchy prides itself on.

Its good looks.

Everything they hold sacred as the arbiters of style is at risk. Thank goodness for Kate Middleton. Her long, glossy locks will shore up the ranks. But for now the royals are in trouble. A recent poll showed that Britons want Charles as king instead of William. No wonder. Charles has more hair than William. Coincidence? I think not.

Who is ultimately to blame for William's hair? Diana's father, Earl Spencer was balding therefore it must be her fault. She has obviously done more damage to the monarchy than first thought. Luckily Prince Harry inherited genes from his father otherwise there would be no hope left for the monarchy as we know it. Enter the republican movement at stage right.

The media is already asking tough questions on whether Prince William is losing his appeal. Where's a celebrity scandal when you need it? Isn't there a disaster in another country? No, this is just too big an issue. We cannot ignore reality even if the royal family wants us to. If only there was a big event with lots of pagentry to distract us from the inevitable. So we can celebrate while we still have reason to.

On his wedding day, all eyes will be on Prince William. After all, he is the future of the monarchy. Billions of people watching the gradual demise of the royal family. This could get depressing. Let's hope William's uniform comes with a hat.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Note: This article is meant to be satirical. I think Prince William looks perfectly fine. :) Kate Middleton is a lucky woman who obviously loves him and her opinion is the only one that counts in this respect.

I'm the newest Babbling Bride blogger!

I am very happy to share the news that I have been chosen to be a bride blogger for one of my favorite wedding inspiration websites, Babbling Bride! They have posted my introduction and my first blog post, which is our engagement story and the history of my ring. I'm excited to be able to share my wedding planning experiences with their blog readers.

European Jewelry 2011 - thinner jewelry for girls 2011 - Jewelry for the evening 2011

European Jewelry  2011 - thinner jewelry for girls 2011 - Jewelry for the evening 2011
European Jewelry  2011 - thinner jewelry for girls 2011 - Jewelry for the evening 2011
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Tattoo for Girls 2011 - European Tattoo 2011 - the most beautiful forms of tattoos 2011

Tattoo for Girls 2011 - European Tattoo 2011 - the most beautiful forms of tattoos 2011

Tattoo for Girls 2011 - European Tattoo 2011 - the most beautiful forms of tattoos 2011
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Hair styles for brides 2011 - thinner hair styles for brides 2011

Hair styles for brides 2011 - thinner hair styles for brides 2011

Hair styles for brides 2011 - thinner hair styles for brides 2011
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European Eye makeup 2011 - the most beautiful makeup for Girls 2011


European Eye makeup 2011 -  the most beautiful makeup for Girls 2011
European Eye makeup 2011 -  the most beautiful makeup for Girls 2011
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Interstate Pigs and Bean & Leek Soup with Caramelized Radish


Interstate pigs and bean soup?   This might sound a little crazy, but there's a connection, I promise.

I've been having recurring thoughts about pigs lately, spurred by two totally unrelated signs that began with my trip to Charleston this past weekend.  

Let me explain.

We were driving, as you do on road trips.    Staring aimlessly out the window.    Kind of tuning out.  I saw a truck ahead of us.    Now, you see a lot of trucks when driving, really not that unusual.   But this truck was special.   It had special cargo.  

I spotted little tails poking out the side of the truck as we passed.   Piglet tails.  Sweet, soft, tiny, curled up little pink pig tails.   Awwww.  That's when it dawned on me.   These pigs were going somewhere.   It wasn't just another road trip for them.  

I grew sad as I do when I think about animals that we eat.  It is why I regularly go back and forth between being a vegetarian and not.    The more I read and learn about how animals are 'produced' in this country, I am sickened by the conditions and the fact that this all ends up in our bodies.      Don't get me wrong, I do eat meat occasionally and certainly don't judge anyone else who does.  I've just been thinking more about what I consume, where it comes from and the effect that it has on my health.


Those little pigs heading to their next stop in the production process were nestled in my memory.  I settled back into vacation mode and ordered the pork ribs for dinner that night.   And they were amazing.   And I temporarily forgot all about the little pigs piled up in the back of the truck.

Until yesterday morning.    The pigs reappeared.    Back on the interstate again, except this time in a local news story about five pigs who got loose from a truck and ended up in the middle of morning commute traffic.      And while admittedly, some of the comments in the article are pretty darn hilarious, the whole thing just makes me sad.  
I guess the point of all this is that seeing these pigs triggered something in me that makes me want to re-examine my personal position.     I don't know if this will be fleeting or a more solid commitment, but for the moment I'm going to take a little break from meat while I reconcile my feelings.

Long story short, I made bean and leek soup for dinner last night and instead of flavoring it with bacon, I got creative with my seasonings and CSA box and came up with this version instead.  The spice mixture, containing natural hickory smoke and ginger, replicated the smoky flavor of the pork.  The caramelization of the radish added a little sweetness and a tiny bit of crunch.  A wonderful bacon substitute garnish.  The salted butter also helps to round out the flavor in this soup.

I didn't miss the bacon at all.

White Bean and Leek Soup with Caramelized Radishes




Ingredients

For the Soup
1 pound dried white beans
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salted butter
3 leeks, cleaned, halved and sliced thinly
3 celery heart stacks, diced
48 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pork chop seasoning (I used Penzey's)
sea salt and pepper to taste

For the Radishes
1 small bunch of radishes, 7 - 10, large dice
2 teaspoons salted butter
sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Prepare beans using overnight or quick method as directed on the package.   Rinse thoroughly and set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons salted butter on medium low heat in large soup pot.     Add sliced leaks and celery hearts.   Saute vegetables until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes on medium low heat.   Add 1/2 teaspoon pork chop seasoning to vegetables and mix for a minute or two until combined.

Add beans back into soup pot.    Add the chicken broth to bean and vegetable mixture.    Simmer for an hour until flavors are fully combined.  

Meanwhile, prepare radishes to finish prior to serving soup.    Melt 2 teaspoons salted butter in small saute pan on medium heat.     Add diced radishes and saute on medium low for about five minutes.   Increase heat to medium and saute until radishes begin to caramelize and form a dark crust, about another five to ten minutes.   Salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.   (Radishes are best served just out of the pan as they retain a little crunch.)

After about an hour, blend soup with immersion blender or blender until smooth.   Season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Pour soup into serving bowls and top with radish garnish.


Heading back to Charleston next with less deep thoughts and more on our weekend away!

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic.   Do you think consciously about where your food comes from and how it is produced?  If you do, how does it impact your eating habits?

American Bags 2011 - large bags 2011- The coolest bags for girls 2011


 American Bags 2011 - large bags 2011- The coolest bags for girls 2011
 American Bags 2011 - large bags 2011- The coolest bags for girls 2011
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Summer Evening dresses 2011 - Long Evening Dresses 2011

Summer  Evening dresses 2011 - Long Evening Dresses 2011
Summer  Evening dresses 2011 - Long Evening Dresses 2011
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Summer Shoes for Girls 2011 - the most beautiful European fashions in shoes 2011

Summer Shoes for Girls  2011 - the most beautiful European fashions in shoes 2011
Summer Shoes for Girls  2011 - the most beautiful European fashions in shoes 2011
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{Inspiration Board} Peachy Keen & Green

I think peach is the new pink.  It is soft, feminine, and lovely but you can sell your fiance on it because it isn't pink.  And it works as a neutral because you can pair it with almost any other color and it works.  You can pair it with brighter colors and make your palette cheery and summery like this, or with browns and tans to make it more rustic like this.  But I think my favorite pairing is with another soft color, like this peach and sea glass green combination.


If I were getting married all over again I think this would be my chosen color palette!  It is just.so.pretty!

Inspiration 207: Hot Pink & Bold Purple Summer Wedding

Loving this bright, beautiful color palette requested by a bride who is getting married in June!  Hot pink and bold purple are great together, and she wants to add a pop of turquoise/aqua which fits in just perfectly. 

Mid Week Inspirations & Wisdom: Change is Good

"When you're finished changing, you're finished" - Benjamin Franklin. Well, he WAS quite a brilliant man.



These are all so inspiring to me right now. I really want to do a shoot in the desert soon with lots of cactus! Maybe for a Summer editorial for Adorevintage? ^_^

Image Credits:
1.] Kirsten Dunst for Band of Outsiders Spring 2011 via Fashiongonerogue, 2.] Becca Stadtlander illustrations via Creaturecomforts, 3.] Jane Eyre still via The New York Times, 4.] Shoes via W Closet, 5.] Amazing apartment inspiration via Emma Design Blog, 6.] Fantastic candy packaging via Mast Brothers Chocolate, 7.] Delicate Wardrobe photo print available at Diem Design, 8.] Lost credit link but was spotted on Pinterest

Alternative Wednesday #19: Skirts for Bridesmaids!

If you want to give your  bridesmaids a modern look that they can wear again (and probably again and again and again...)-- dress them in stylish skirts!  It is also an affordable option with endless choices as far as colors, patterns and styles.  You can create a fun and flirty look, a classy look or a preppy look... the sky's the limit!
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