BRITAIN: The New Line To The Throne

Newborn Charlotte Elizabeth Diana is fourth in line to the British throne. The Los Angeles Times explains who all those other people are.

Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Of Cambridge

Via the Daily Mail:

A princess called Charlotte — a name that is French in origin — is a nod to her grandfather, the Prince of Wales, while Elizabeth and Diana are an obvious mark of respect to William's 89-year-old grandmother and his late mother respectively. Royal aides told MailOnline that the baby's second names were self-evident and would 'speak for themselves'. As for Charlotte, they pointed out that much had been written about it being the feminine form of Charles. Another royal source said they understood the couple simply liked the name – but admitted it was a 'happy coincidence' that both William's father and mother would live on in their grand-daughter. For William, naming his daughter after Charles will be seen as a clear public demonstration of his love for the prince.

Princess Diana At 10/1

The odds have been shifting hourly, but as of last night British bookmakers Ladbrokes were putting the chances at 10/1 that the new royal baby will be named for her late grandmother. Alice and Charlotte have been the favorites since the baby was born.

What Happens When The Queen Dies?

A fascinating look from Business Insider:

Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of this Realm and of Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, is not going to live forever. Since ascending to the throne in 1952, the monarch has seen 12 Prime Ministers serve Britain, and lived through another 12 US Presidents. She's now 88. At some point — not for many years yet, we hope — Queen Elizabeth II's reign will come to an end. But what happens then?

For at least 12 days — between her passing, the funeral and beyond — Britain will grind to a halt. It'll cost the British economy billions in lost earnings. The stock markets and banks will close for an indefinite period. And both the funeral and the subsequent coronation will become formal national holidays, each with an estimated economic hit to GDP of between £1.2 and £6 billion, to say nothing of organisational costs.

But to focus on the financial disruption doesn't begin to describe the sheer magnitude of it. It will be an event unlike anything Britain has ever seen before. There will be trivial disruptions — the BBC will cancel all comedy shows, for example — and jarring cultural changes. Prince Charles may change his name, for instance, and the words of the national anthem will be changed, too.

Hit the link for much, much more.

SPAIN: King Poses For Gay Magazine

Spain's King Felipe VI, 46, has posed for the cover of a local gay magazine as a show of support for the LGBT community. According to Latin Gossip, this is the first time that a "high-ranking Spanish official" has done so. Felipe took the throne last year following the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos. The magazine is available online and the article on Felipe (pages 17-20) can be read in both Spanish and English. The opening paragraph is below.

(Tipped by JMG reader Eric)

CORRECTION: JMG reader Eduardo writes from Sitges to note that the above photo is an official royal portrait and that King Felipe did not "pose" for the magazine. Per Ragap Revista, the "royal house" did authorize the photo's use as their cover image.

Joan Collins Made A Dame

Via the Associated Press:

The diva of Dynasty is now a dame. Joan Collins, who played scheming, shoulder pad-wearing Alexis Carrington in the hit 1980s TV show, was made the female equivalent of a knight in Queen Elizabeth II's annual New Year's honors list. The star of potboilers including The Stud and The Bitch was recognized for her services to charity. Collins, 81, is a longtime supporter of nonprofit groups helping children. London-born Collins said Tuesday it was "humbling to receive this level of recognition from my queen and country, and I am thrilled and truly grateful."

I believe that's actually Alexis Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan.

Queen Elizabeth Delivers Holiday Speech

He's Not Sir David Furnish

Sir Elton John married his partner of 21 years last week, but unlike the spouses of straight male Brits with a royally-bestowed title, David Furnish did not gain a courtesy title. Via Pink News:

When a man with a title marries a woman, his wife automatically receives a female courtesy title – meaning that if he had married a woman, Sir Elton’s wife would be Lady John. However, as the honours system was not updated to reflect the changes to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) law, Mr Furnish is not able to use a title – and will remain Mr Furnish. The Equality (Titles) Bill 2013 attempted to change the rules – which also deny titles to male spouses of women with honours – but the legislation did not progress. The law was changed, however, to ensure that gay men could not become Queen or Princess of Wales by marrying a future King or Prince of Wales.

Queen Elizabeth Sends Her First Tweet

Via CNN:

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II dipped a toe into 21st-century communications Friday when she posted her first tweet. Signing herself Elizabeth R., for regina or queen, she welcomed visitors to a new Information Age gallery focused on the evolution of modern communications at the Science Museum in London. The inaugural tweet was posted to the official British monarchy Twitter feed, which has more than 700,000 followers.

BRITAIN: Royal Security Worried About Staffers Inviting Over Grindr Hook-Ups

Via the Daily Mail:

Buckingham Palace staff have sparked internal security fears by bringing casual partners met over dating apps back to their living quarters. Police guarding the royal residences are said to be ‘deeply concerned’ at the number of unvetted overnight guests, many of whom appear to be casual acquaintances met online. Apps such as Tinder and Grindr allow smartphone users to find potential love matches nearby using GPS locators. They have proved phenomenally popular and have millions of users around the world – however they have also been criticised for promoting casual sex. And according to well-placed sources, a number of the Queen’s 800-plus staff are said to use such online dating tools. While most live-in servants –including butlers, maids and kitchen staff – are not allowed to bring guests into Buckingham Palace itself, they are permitted to sign in visitors to their living quarters at St James’s Palace and the Royal Mews. This situation is not new, but the rise of dating apps has sparked concerns among the Metropolitan Police that servants are bringing back guests whom they know nothing about.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ed)

Another Royal Baby Is Coming

Via the Telegraph:

Forget tea time, beefeaters or those derelict red phone boxes – nothing makes you feel more proud to be British that the world’s most photogenic royal couple announcing that they’re expecting a second child. And with ten days until Scotland votes on whether to remain part of the - proudly royal - British union, could the excitement over the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their second baby help keep England and Scotland together? After all, the story of the Kate and William begins in Scotland, where the couple met in 2001 while studying at the University of St Andrews. The royal romance gave the small university global recognition and students would be bereft to see their mascots become foreign citizens should the Yes vote carry the day.

The Queen's offered to have the next royal baby named 'WILLIAM WALLACE ROBERT BRUCE BURNS' if the Scots agree to vote NO.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 8, 2014

SPAIN: King Carlos Abdicates For Son

After a nearly 40-year reign, Spain's King Juan Carlos has surrendered his throne to his son.

Juan Carlos, whose health is failing and has had a number of hip operations in recent years, is stepping down for personal reasons, Mariano Rajoy said on Monday. "His majesty, King Juan Carlos, has just communicated to me his will to give up the throne," Rajoy said. "I found the king convinced that this is the best moment to change the head of state in all normality and for the transition of the crown to the Prince of Asturias (Prince Felipe)," he said. Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman, has been relatively unscathed by the scandals that battered others in the family. Once popular Juan Carlos, 76, who helped smooth Spain's transition to democracy in the 1970s after the Francisco Franco dictatorship, has lost public support in recent years due to corruption scandals and gaffes.

After the abdication news broke last night, tens of thousands poured into the streets of cities across Spain to demand a referendum on abolishing the monarchy.

Reality Show Pranks Women Into Thinking They Can Actually Marry Prince Harry

Headline Of The Day

Via Daily Beast:

William and Kate will burnish their ultra-modern credentials on Wednesday when they will introduce Prince George to the child of gay parents, it is reported today. Kate and William will take George to a playgroup organised by the New Zealand parent support organisation Plunket, where he will meet gay fathers Jared and Ryan Mullen and their daughter Isabella. Jared who comes from Oregon, in the USA and Ryan, from Australia, were chosen to represent the growing numbers of same-sex couples in New Zealand who use Plunket’s parental support services.

(Tipped by JMG reader Eric)

BRITAIN: Queen Elizabeth Congratulates Gay Charity On Its 40th Anniversary

Gay Star News reports:

Queen Elizabeth II has praised a gay charity, in what is believed to be her first ever comment about the LGBTI community. In her 62-year reign of the UK and the Commonwealth, she has never once visited or become a patron of a charity for gay rights. And even in reforming laws for the community, such as when homosexuality was decriminalized or same-sex marriage in England and Wales passed into law, the words ‘gay’, ‘lesbian’, ‘bisexual’, and ‘transgender’ have never been reported as crossing the lips of the reigning monarch. But in a first, the Queen has praised the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard on its 40th birthday. She said: ‘Best wishes and congratulations to all concerned on this most special anniversary.’

Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson also congratulated the charity.

TRAILER: Grace Of Monaco

BRITAIN: King's Husband Won't Be Queen

The first headline is from the tabloid Daily Mail.  The Telegraph has a less sensational story:

Men are to be banned from becoming Queen or Princess of Wales as part of an unprecedented effort to rewrite more than 700 years of law to prevent unintended consequences of gay marriage. Even a 14th Century act declaring it high treason to have an affair with the monarch’s husband or wife is included in the sweeping redrafting exercise. The order makes clear that a clause in the Act giving gay and heterosexual marriage the same legal effect does not apply to the rights of anyone “who marries, or who is married to, the King Regnant, to the title of Queen”. It also makes clear that were a future Prince of Wales to marry a man his husband could not be called Princess of Wales.

More immediately, the order rules out the possibility of Dukes, Earls and other male peers who marry other men making their husbands Duchess, Countess or Lady. Meanwhile dozens of other laws are to be excluded from the remit of the Act. They include the Second Statute of Westminster from 1285, which deals with inheritance matters, and even the Treason Act of 1351. It makes it high treason to “violate the King’s companion” – meaning the husband or wife of the monarch – or that of the heir. A Government spokeswoman explained that it would still be considered high treason to have sex with a king’s wife – but not his husband.

Britain's anti-gay groups are mocking the changes, of course.

BRITAIN: Prince Charles Bestows MBE Upon Leader Of LGBT Chorus Charity

Back in June, I reported that Martin Brophy, founder of Britain's Fruitvox charity and member of the London Gay Men's Chorus, would be among those receiving Queen Elizabeth's birthday honors for his "services to music." Today Brophy received his Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Prince Charles.

Prince William Sings With Jon Bon Jovi

TRAILER: Diana