As Royal Central recently turned three years old (as old as Prince George thinks he is) the editors and writers took a few moments to answer some questions reflecting on all things royal.
Cindy Stockman, Editor in Chief
You are invited to a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace, you do you want to sit next to? “On my right, I would like to be seated next to Prince Harry and on my left, either The Duchess of Cornwall or Prince Charles. Prince Harry would bring a bit of humour and likely ease the tension and stress one would be under at such an event. As for Camilla, the conversation would probably be discussing books and the importance of reading that as a teacher is one of my primary goals.”
What is your favourite royal moment of the last ten years? “That is hard to choose just one. I would have to say the events that surrounded the Jubilee year from the Flotilla on the Thames to the concert at Buckingham Palace were some memorable moments. Then I think of the Invictus Games and Prince Harry and that is on the list as well. I would be remiss if I did not add the wedding of Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall, an event that was certainly a long time coming and one I was glad to see.”
What were your favourite three stories to cover on Royal Central? “Most people will wonder, why I did not say Prince George or Princess Charlotte’s birth. For Prince George, I just started with Royal Central and was not reporting yet, just a few blogs here and there. As for Charlotte, I was out celebrating my mother’s birthday that day and not glued to the computer. I would have to say, Prince Harry and covering his Walking with the Wounded trip to the South Pole, Prince Charles and Camilla’s trip to Colombia and Mexico and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge taking their trip to New Zealand and Austalia with Prince George.
Sean O’Keefe, Deputy Editor
What is your favourite royal moment of the last ten years? “My favourite royal moment of the past ten years has to be the Diamond Jubilee. Having had an interest in the Royal Family for some years, the Diamond Jubilee just heightened this even more for me. From the very wet River Pageant down the River Thames to the concert outside Buckingham Palace to the service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, I was transfixed by it all. Roll on the Platinum Jubilee I say!”
If you were to write a biography on any royal dead or alive who would it be and why? “If I could write a biography on any royal it would have to be the last of the Stuart’s Queen Anne. Anyone that knows me knows that I have such an interest in the House of Stuart but more so, Queen Anne. I feel she is such an underrated Monarch, who often gets forgotten and shouldn’t, she was after all the first Queen to reign over Great Britain. As I said in a previous article of mine, Queen Anne had a tragic life but such a tremendous reign.”
What were your favourite three articles you have written?
Anne Neville: The Bad Queen. An early article of mine, I chose this piece because it gained so much momentum. Written around the time of the BBC’s The White Queen, a show that divided not only my opinion on the Plantagenet’s but the nation too. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this piece knowing that it would get people talking and talk they did, even two years on the Anne Neville article comes back to the forefront of discussion on Royal Central.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother: A Life in Decades. Just a small part of a Royal Central series. I am a massive fan of The Queen Mother and thoroughly enjoyed researching her early life at Glamis Castle, which is why this piece forms part of my top three favourite pieces.
The tragic life of Queen Anne. If I had to pick a favourite Royal dynasty from years gone by, it would be the Stuarts and if I had to pick a favourite monarch (aside from our current Queen Elizabeth) it would be Queen Anne. People often underestimate her abilities as a Queen, which is why I loved writing this piece, getting the message out there that Queen Anne was just as good a Queen as Elizabeth I or Victoria. Though the title says’ Tragic Life’ it was also very enjoyable to examine Anne’s tremendous reign and that’s why I would say this piece is my all time favourite piece that I have written for Royal Central.
Jessica Hope, Assistant Editor
What is your favourite royal moment of the last ten years? “I’d say that my favourite royal moment would have to be William and Kate’s wedding or the Invictus Games.”
You are invited to a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace, you do you want to sit next to? “If I were at a state banquet, I would love to sit next to Prince Harry.”
Lydia Starbuck, Desk Editor
What is your favourite royal moment of the last ten years? “My favourite royal moment – there are so many to pick from but the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ultimately stands out. The regatta on the Thames is a sight I’ll never forget, so splendid despite the awful wet weather, and it was a perfect tribute to the Queen to have so many people celebrating her achievements in that way. It was a moment when royal life became a real milestone in British history; it was truly special and something that I will never see again.”
If you were to spend the weekend in any of the palaces or castles, where would you go and why? ” Windsor Castle because there is just so much history there and because it is huge, a weekend would only scratch the surface! From its ancient beginnings to the working family home it is today there would be so much to see and take in. I’d put St George’s Chapel at the top of my list to explore closely followed by St George’s Hall.”
What were you fave three articles written by another member of RC? ” TOO HARD!!!! But here we go…Royal Connections – Coventry by Sean O’Keeffe is a real favourite because it brought to life so many little bits of history that are all around us but which are so easy to forget. I loved the interview with Lucy Worsley about Tales from the Royal Wardrobe by Cindy Stockman as it gave a real sense of the fun that making that programme gave and there was just so much to learn and enjoy from the piece. And finally. like all Royal Central readers I love those posts that ask the big royal questions we all think about and I’ve chosen Why isn’t Prince Philip King? by Martin because it was such an informed read and really got me thinking!”
James Brookes, Chief Reporter
What is your favourite royal moment of the last 10 years? “A lot has happened on the royal front in 10 years. I was 11 years old and just starting secondary school at the time. Overall, I think my favourite moment would be a very close call between William and Kate’s wedding and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The sense of national pride was palpable at the time, especially with the Olympic Games sandwiched in between both occasions!”
Nikita, Senior Reporter
You are invited to a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace, you do you want to sit next to? “If I was invited to a State Dinner at Buckingham Palace, I would want to sit next to The Duke of Edinburgh. I would be honoured to meet his Royal Highness, who is one of my favourite members of the Royal Family, and his witticisms and sense of humour would undoubtedly keep me very entertained during the speeches and toasts.”
Charlie Proctor, Reporter
What is your favourite royal moment of the last 10 years? “My favourite Royal Moment of the last 10 years has to be The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. From the concert featuring performances from the likes of Shirley Bassey and Elton John, to the rainy River Pagent along the Thames, it was a celebration to remember. Also, people got three days off from work during the celebrations, so everybody could join in the fun! Roll on The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022!”
Jamie Samhan, Reporter
If you were to write a biography on any royal dead or alive who would it be and why? “I would write a biography on Prince William, however I would wait 20-30 years until when he is Sovereign. As the monarchy will be very different then it is now, he will have a large impact on those changes. I believe as King the monarchy will be more relatable to everyday people and the support will continue to grow- those are the changes I wish to document.”
Kelli Finger, Reporter
If you were to spend the weekend in any of the palaces or castles, where would you go and why? “I’d love to tour Buckingham Palace to see all the rooms, especially the ballroom.
And since I love flowers, birds and gardens, I’d like to visit the gardens at Kensington Palace as well.”
Thank you to our editors and reporters for sharing their thoughts and thank you to our readers who continue to support Royal Central. Here’s to many more birthdays, cheers!
Featured photo credit: David Holt via Flickr
