The big news in Great Britain has of course been the state visit by HH Pope Benedict XVI. The Pontiff was met at the airport by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh before going on to meet the Queen at Holyroodhouse, saluted by the Queen’s special Scottish guard the Royal Company of Archers. The Queen thanked the Pope for the part played by the Catholic Church in promoting peace in Northern Ireland as well as the efforts of the Pontiff in promoting peace and fighting poverty. She also commented on how “old tensions” had been replaced by mutual trust. Pope Benedict XVI spoke of the deep Christian roots of Great Britain, the heroic role of the country in opposing the Nazis of his native Germany and pointed to Nazi Germany as an example of what ills befall a society that rejects God, religion and virtue.
Later the Pope visited Lambeth Palace to meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Both spoke of the good relations between the Anglican and Catholic Churches. The Pope visited Westminster Hall, where St Thomas More was condemned to death for opposing King Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy centuries ago, to meet with British politicians and intellectuals including former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He stressed that politicians had no part in correcting religious problems but that religious values should play a part in advising public policy, pointing to the British abolition of the slave trade as an example. In other news HRH Prince William graduated from RAF Valley in Wales as a qualified search and rescue pilot.
Other royal headlines across Europe include Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands traveling to Japan to speak at an environmental forum on the subject of water and sanitation. The Prince of Orange also met with the Emperor and Empress while in the country. Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium was in Mexico this week attending the festivities in honor of the 200th anniversary of Father Miguel Hidalgo’s call to arms that sparked the series of revolutions that led to Mexican independence. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie visited Brazil to promote Danish business interests in Sao Paolo. In France, the ever-controversial Clotilde Courau, wife of Prince Emmanuel Filiberto of Italy caused heads to turn by appearing in a burlesque show which includes some very revealing costumes, suggestive dancing and songs with lyrics that are frankly unprintable. In Spain, HM King Juan Carlos met with the President of the Seychelles on Tuesday at the Zarzuela Palace to discuss cooperation in military issues, fishing rights and combating piracy. It was also recently announced that the Spanish government will be cutting the salary of the King of Spain starting next year.
Later the Pope visited Lambeth Palace to meet with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Both spoke of the good relations between the Anglican and Catholic Churches. The Pope visited Westminster Hall, where St Thomas More was condemned to death for opposing King Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy centuries ago, to meet with British politicians and intellectuals including former prime ministers Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He stressed that politicians had no part in correcting religious problems but that religious values should play a part in advising public policy, pointing to the British abolition of the slave trade as an example. In other news HRH Prince William graduated from RAF Valley in Wales as a qualified search and rescue pilot.
Other royal headlines across Europe include Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands traveling to Japan to speak at an environmental forum on the subject of water and sanitation. The Prince of Orange also met with the Emperor and Empress while in the country. Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium was in Mexico this week attending the festivities in honor of the 200th anniversary of Father Miguel Hidalgo’s call to arms that sparked the series of revolutions that led to Mexican independence. Their Royal Highnesses Prince Joachim and Princess Marie visited Brazil to promote Danish business interests in Sao Paolo. In France, the ever-controversial Clotilde Courau, wife of Prince Emmanuel Filiberto of Italy caused heads to turn by appearing in a burlesque show which includes some very revealing costumes, suggestive dancing and songs with lyrics that are frankly unprintable. In Spain, HM King Juan Carlos met with the President of the Seychelles on Tuesday at the Zarzuela Palace to discuss cooperation in military issues, fishing rights and combating piracy. It was also recently announced that the Spanish government will be cutting the salary of the King of Spain starting next year.
Should I ask what the excuse, er, reason for the cut in His Majesty of Spain’s Salary? And is anyone else’s pay cut? Or is it just His Majesty’s pay that shall be decreased, and not those of his Ministers in Government? I should like to know.
ReplyDeleteThe current economic crisis is taking the blame, which is especially severe in Spain. They say the rest of the government has been taking pay cuts as well but I cannot help but be a little skeptical whenever the royal allowance is decreased. After all, unlike the politicians, the King cannot decide on his own whenever he wants a pay raise and while cuts in the royal budget are common in most monarchies I don't ever recall the reverse happening and a monarch being given more money.
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