The King's Gambit

God Bless the Queen.

Long Live the King!

We heard a bit of that for a few weeks.

Here on the island, daily life stopped after the Queen's passing as the well oiled monarchy machine sprang into gear permeating every aspect of our lives polishing the orbs, scepters and big crowns. Time to dig into: Monarchy 101.

The layers that emerged when exploring the complexity of Kings, Queens and Kingdoms overwhelmed my tiny tiara.

As children, we grew up with idealized versions of Prince or Princess Charming. Dressing up, pretend play, served as a CosPlay opportunity for us to escape a mundane life. Our secret wish to be included in the ball might have been my generation's 1950's-1960's fantasy but still remains a well-oiled Disney dream marketed to soaring heights with Frozen.

How emotional for the many who voiced their love of the Queen and those who tearfully shared their moments of meeting her. Model of constancy, pillar of stability, giving people hope, making them feel heard, thrust into a position she had never truly prepared for until her Uncle chose freedom rather than monarchy. Her simple serene countenance with a no-nonsense attitude in trying times gave many people comfort. She was their mother, grandmother, Queen and had always been there.

I'm happy to see her finally have a moment's peace from her constraining servitude. She could finally take off the heavy crown and join her husband, Philip, who always walked 2 steps behind her.

We saw lots of pomp and circumstance designed to instill the monarchy's timelessness by shining up the symbols of monarchy, adhering to strict rituals.

Our idealizing of royalty, their role, their responsibility gives me the opportunity to think further. What is the Monarchy's relevance in today's world? Is it absurd theater to give the existing monarchy such a pedestal position?

Do we give her a pass because she listened to the advice of her privy counsel, represented the monarchy as a figurehead without stating her opinion or, criticize her for the Empire's long legacy of colonization which resulted in murder and persecution represented by her position? Did the fact that she has no powers of state excuse her from the constant promotion of her country?

Poppycock some say, the monarchy grew and expanded their Empire standing on the backs of other nations through subjugation, starvation and repressive policies from Ireland, Wales, Scotland to Kenya and South Africa. All who visit the numerous museums, churches and royals homes in Great Britain enjoy the wealth of stolen bounty of other nations, I amongst them. The monarchy maintains the current class system, still very evident in England.

The luster of the Monarchy and idolization of it as a sacred object by people world wide was on view this week as well as the anti-monarchists waiting for a cooling off period to start their campaign to end the monarchy.

Should we assume that King Charles will make some changes to the Monarchy and set history on a path of reconciliation?

Now is an opportunity to rework its importance, role and meanings for a new generation if England is going to move forward. Why should Kate and William be given the controversial titles: Prince and Princess of Wales? Wales is an independent country, whose last princes were killed by English rulers.

Let's see how King Charles moves his chess pieces in the King's Gambit*.

Jane Austen redo

The annual Jane Austen Festival coincided with the Queen's departure which observed a moment of silence for her Majesty.

The stocks were a reminder of civil behavior: punishing swearing, drunkenness and perjury.

Merchants were providing Regency era doos and dahs to complete any outfit. I could easily get caught up in the hat, wig and shoe dance if I were remaining a local.

The Romans arrived to pre-empt a Regency show of power and re claim their Roman bathing rituals. Glad-iactors charmed the crowd with a bit of Monty Python song and dance.

Liz Truss

Gosh, I kidded when I said I blame Liz Truss, the New Prime Minister, for the Queen's passing since she was one of the last to see her. She has already proved to be a trouble maker promising tax cuts to the wealthy and then throwing her Finance Minister under the bus when she said tax cuts were his decision and then calling them off.

America comes to the American Museum

Silversmiths stopped by our museum for a shiny look at the role of women silversmiths in Colonial America.

Megan and Bobby shared their experiences working at the largest living history museum in the world, Colonial Williamsburg. The majority of their artistic creations are made with 18th century tools. Women held positions as silver smiths in our early history quite often as a family business and occasionally as a fem sole, meaning a women who independently supported herself.

Diego and Kaiser

We are so connected to our animal friends that their passing is family member sized. Diego, brother Kevin's sweet Yorkie, was part of the triumvirate of dogs on the Oregon Trail family reunion in August. We got to see him one last time before he went on to doggie heaven. He was little but mighty.

Kaiser the Giant Schnauzer put on his cool suit when he stopped by for a visit on one of our hotter days this summer. He brought along Aisling and Arjan, his parents, to visit us.

"Is that a Schnauzer?" they all asked, drawing a lot of curious looks. Kaiser was a mighty dog who thought he was little. Kaiser suddenly passed a few months after his visit leaving another empty food bowl and a hole in hearts.

Queen's Stash

The one constancy in the Queen's life was her handbag. Queen Elizabeth's colorful collection of 300 Launer handbags have been closer to her than her own husband. A question, on my mind, almost as important as "Where are her Corgi's going to live?" is 'What did the Queen keep in her handbag?"

Not surprisingly it was: a mirror, lipstick, mint lozenges and reading glasses.

She also used her Launer purse as a purse semaphore signaling her handlers to remove her from conversations she deemed finished.

• Moving her handbag from her left arm to her right arm meant she wanted to wrap the conversation up.

• Putting her handbag on the floor meant she needed someone to save her from an uncomfortable encounter ASAP.

• Putting her handbag on the table at dinner meant she wanted to end the conversation in 5 minutes. Either that or please prepare a doggy bag, purse ready. (my speculation).

*King's Gambit: from an Italian expression dare il gambetto (to put a leg forward in order to trip someone) by offering a pawn to capture the opponents central pawn.