A Little Announcement

I promise I'll do part 2 of The Abdication soon, but I did want to say that I've started a brand new blog, and its called:

Queen

Victoria

Revealed

I'm busy at work on it, and to be honest, there are many sites on the internet where you will find information on Queen Victoria and her family, but as of now, I've YET to find one exclusively devoted just to her. Since she reigned from 1837 to 1901 she deserves some more attention. So many people have written about her, but how many people really understand her? Since I have been studying her since 1988, and have read almost every biography available and countless diaries and letters and other information and I simply can't get the woman off my mind, I decided, Ah, what the heck, I'll start the blog. And maybe later I'll do a website. I also write more about her than any other Queen, and so she deserves her own blog. It wont only be about her---it will be about her delicious love affair with her beloved Albert, her children , their homes and her personal life. There is SO much to be told, and I believe in the years to come there will be a new interest in her life...especially the younger years. Anyway, the site will be ready SOON---there will be movies on there, wonderful links, links to on-line biographies, and honest to goodness peeks into her real life. I think you'll enjoy it.

And, if Queen Victoria has never been your cup of tea, please stay here to read about other Queens. But I think you'll see a different side to Queen Victoria that the one that is generally discussed.

I hope you'll enjoy my new "sister" blog Queen Victoria Revealed, which should be ready in the next week or two.

~~Cheerio!

Okay, back to the Abdication...part 2.

The Abdication

The Abdication...have you heard of it?
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In 1936, King Edward gave up his throne for the woman he loved. If she couldn’t be crowned with him, at his coronation, then he would not be crowned either.
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And that was that. And there would be no arguments about it.
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He was determined to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson and have her by his side. He couldn’t live without her--he really couldn’t. She was as necessary to his existence in 1936 as was food to living. And he said he would not be crowned with a lie on his lips.
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As you may know, there has been endless speculation, and there still is...what was it about her that captured the Kings heart? But I wonder...did she want to be Queen? Or be kept as the Kings favourite? Yes, I think so—to both questions—at least for a time.
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As events heated up in their relationship, the Prince’s brother Bertie, who was next in line, was in shock. His wife Elizabeth was not only in shock, she was angry. Her husband had never been reared to be King. He had not been trained for it. His personality wasn’t suited for it and he relished their private life together, and his time with their young daughters. This couldn’t be happening. WHO was this American, divorced woman? Well, The Duchess of York hadn’t cared for Wallis for quite some time! One reason for that was... one afternoon as she was leaving a room, Elizabeth suddenly turned back to look, and found Wallis making fun of her while there were others in the room. It hurt Elizabeth deeply. There was no love lost between she and Wallis. But she cared for David. Why would he throw it all away? No one in the family could believe that he would dare do it. It was just desperation speaking. Queen Mary, the King's mother, paced back and forth at Marlborough House. To even hear the word 'abdicate' mentioned...or to think of it, however fleetingly, was more than the Queen could bear.
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As you can see, she wasn't a raving beauty, but she did have fashion sense and dressed rather smartly. And because she was southern and born in America, she had grown up with a sort of southern charm in her genes and she had the ability to make guests feel very comfortable and relaxed, when she felt like it.
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She really didn’t like England. At least when she first moved there, she didn’t. Oh, the dirt that came through the flat windows…especially when there was fog. Everything would have to be cleaned, even the drapes. And it rained. And she missed her Aunt and mother.
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So...let's continue with the Abdication story---so I dont confuse you. We'll start at what happened before the crisis. I'm doing this from memory because I really don't feel like reading at the moment. Maybe later I'll get their love letters and add in a little of them.
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Wallis, a young American woman, was divorced after a turbulent marriage with Win Spencer. He was quite abusive. Not many women left their husbands in the 1920's and 1930's –so it shows what kind of a woman she was. She wanted to live. She wanted to enjoy her life. But...she also worried often about stability and money. There never seemed to be enough, and she had anxieties about it…quite a bit of anxiety.
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After her separation and divorce, she enjoyed herself and spent many evenings with the young political people of the day near Washington DC, and the up and coming in society that associated with them. She attended parties, dinners and was always in demand. For quite awhile it amused her. But eventually she got tired of it all. Time was passing by. She was young now, but what would she do later on? How would she support herself? She needed to protect herself. So, when she met Mr. Ernest Simpson at a party and he took a liking to her, she was sort of thrilled...in a quiet sort of way. He was a businessman, and his prospects looked good. Most of all, he was kind and polite and the two of them got along well. He looked after her welfare.
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Well, she did it. She married him and settled herself in a London flat. Ernest worked for the family business and he worked very hard. Wallis stayed home and took care of the house, except in those days...couples who made "enough" money hired a cook and housekeeper. So Wallis did that, and kept herself busy with letter writing, shopping, consulting with the cook and watching to make sure there were no dust bunnies under the couch. And I mean it. She would not tolerate that. She worked fastidiously to decorate the flat. Everything had to be just so. Everything was placed in the rooms to look its best. She wasn't rich, but her flat was comfortable and rather pretty. She had good taste. She arranged flowers very beautifully, and often there was a bouquet on the piano. Her favorite bric-a-brac was stragetically placed on tables in her drawing room. Not only was she good at decorating, she enjoyed it.
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She was bored though. One of her friends in England---Consuelo Thaw---was the eldest sister of Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt and her twin sister Thelma Furness. Consuelo's husband was a diplomat that Wallis had known in the States. So there were luncheons and introductions to new friends in Consuelo’s circle….and there was always a friend or two passing through England to keep Wallis busy. And Consuelo's sisters were famous---Gloria was famous, obviously, because she married a Vanderbilt, and Thelma...well, she was the Mistress of the Prince of Wales.
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Wallis kept busy interviewing cooks and housekeepers because they seemed to come and go quite often. It was hard to get good help. As her circle of friends grew, she found that she enjoyed going out for evenings at the theater. Just as importantly, she was becoming a good hostess as well. Her dinner parties were fabulous, the food delicious, the conversation exciting. Wallis had a knack for that. She'd give a lot of thought to her parties...who to invite...who should sit where...what couples would mix well… what would be appropriate to eat and what was in season...nothing was left to chance and and best of all, she loved surprising her British friends and Ernest's business associates with southern dishes that they'd never had...such as crispy fried chicken or ribs. Her party invitations began to be coveted.
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As her friendship grew with Thelma little by little, she implemented something else...the cocktail hour! For an hour or two her door would be open, and everyone was welcome to drop by for a cocktail and some chit-chat. This was something done in America, but not in England. Society was curious. And Wallis enjoyed the fact that she was climbing up the ladder. Ernest was happy to see her happy. Wallis continued to write home to her mother and her (rich) Aunt Bessie about these events in her life. Often Wallis mixed the cocktails herself in shakers. She'd also serve hot and cold canapes--grapes stuffed with cottage cheese and biscuits with meat. What she served was different...unusual. And she didn't mind spending time in the kitchen making sure things were being done properly. The well to do English housewives of the day would never consider doing such a thing. But Wallis knew what she wanted and eagerly watched over the preparatons by the cook. Her guests noticed that.
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And then IT happened. Wallis and Ernest were invited to spend the weekend with the Prince of Wales and his other guests, at Fort Belvedere, which was the Prince's favorite residence. It was usual for him to have weekend get-togethers with select friends and couples . Depending on the time of year there would be gardening (his favourite!) , swimming, hikes, card games, bag-pipe playing by the Prince and delicious, hearty meals in the evening, sometimes followed by bridge or dancing. (He also loved needlepoint--Queen Mary had taught him that. Many a guest walked in and their jaw dropped.) The Prince wasn't a big lunch person--dinner was the big deal. It just so happened that a couple needed to drop out at the very last minute on that particular weekend, and so the invitation (or summons) was extended to Wallis and Ernest. They were thrilled, to say the least.
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Over time...the visits became more frequent. It took some time for that to evolve. It evolved naturally and slowly over a period of time...well over a year's time. The King liked Wallis and Ernest, and even came to their flat for dinner. And more time passed...while Wallis just soaked in the excitement of it all, sharing her news home in letters. She was becoming closer friends with Thelma Furness, who was the Prince's girlfriend. She hob-knobbed with aristocracy and some of society's best. She shopped for the best deals on clothes and food.
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You have to realize that the Prince of Wales, in 1934 to 1936 was a handsome man, with boyish good looks, and golden hair. Women loved him from afar. He had traveled the world. There was a charisma about him—an excitement. He was dashing—and a daredevil. His parents were never too happy with him. King George and Queen Mary wished he would settle down and stop his night life...and they didn't approve of some of his "fast" friends, which were called the "Prince's set". He was known as David in the family, and David knew that his parents disapproved of much of his lifestyle. The King said privately, “That boy will ruin himself within a year once I am gone.” However, the Prince was extremely popular with his subjects.
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One day as Thelma and Wallis were having lunch, Thelma asked Wallis to do her a favor. Since Thelma was taking a steamship to the states soon, to be with her sister Gloria, she asked Wallis if she would "take care of the little man," and "make sure he doesn't get into any mischief." Wallis said yes.
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I can't tell you if it was her "southern hospitality" or openness---or if she had something else in mind---but within days of Thelma's departure, the Prince was a fixture at the Simpson's Bryanston Court flat. Wallis and the cook were pulling their hair out. It was costly to have him there. Everything needed to be perfect and clean—and add in flowers, good food, new dresses---and cook always had to prepare something extra. Wallis never knew if His Royal Highness would be stopping by just for a cocktail, or if he would agree to take pot luck supper with them. Often HRH jumped at the chance to share their "pot luck" dinners. (Obviously Wallis told the prince they were 'pot luck" but in reality Wallis knew exactly what was being served and there was plenty made!) Ernest was often tired when going to work the next day, due to many of the late hours they were suddenly keeping. Wallis's nerves were on edge--this pace was maddening. She had to oversee each and every detail, and take care of her appearance.
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It was obvious that the Prince enjoyed Wallis's company. She talked to him---actually conversed with him and gave him her opinions. Usually, he got responses from most people such as "How wonderful for you, sir " or "Very nice, sir." But Wallis was different. She'd ask him about his day. She listened to him and would ask him questions. She could see he was attentive to her and instinctively she knew he needed attention. Was it her that he wanted, or what she gave him...which seemed to be genuine understanding? On occasions, she spoke her mind, too, if she thought he was wrong. He enjoyed it. He wasn't used to being told he might be wrong. This was new and stimulating. And this was new to her too and very thrilling. Who wouldn’t be thrilled by such attention?
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While Thelma was gone, Wallis became his unofficial hostess, and she and Ernest accompanied him to nightclubs or the theatre in London. Sometimes Wallis went by herself due to Ernest's schedule. After awhile, it become customary that when the Prince was at the flat, at a certain time, Ernest would excuse himself and say that he had work to attend to, or he needed to go to bed because of an early day ahead. What was Ernest thinking as he left them alone? As a subject, we know that he was devoted to his future King. As a husband, I fear he was uneasy.
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There was also an uneasiness in society. As they got to know Wallis better—or rather, as Wallis was thrust in their face—they found her voice and laugh irritating and grating, and they felt she was brash and genuinely unsuitable to have such access to the future King. "Typically American," they whispered. What could His Royal Highness see in such a person? At this point the whispers were just among the well to do.
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And Thelma...well, she did come home. There was a suitor, the Aly Khan, who had been attentive to her while she was away, and the Prince had heard about it. You have to wonder...did he really care? Clearly, he was besotted with Wallis, laughing at her jokes, watching her closely, loving her American ways and enjoying being near her. When Thelma returned to England, and she saw the Prince again at The Fort, she reported that he was rather aloof. He wasn't rude to her...he just wasn't the same. Her instinct told her something was not right. Later that evening during dinner she watched a scene which must have made her heart fall to her stomach. Wallis was leaning in to the Prince and laughing, and when the Prince picked up a piece of lettuce with his fingers, she playfully smacked his hand. In shock, Thelma saw this and knew that you did not take those sort of liberties with royalty. And then Thelma says Wallis looked in her direction, and looked at her intently and Thelma has said in her memoirs that it was then that she "knew Wallis had taken very good care of the little man."
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Wallis always maintained that was simply untrue. Wallis claimed that she never did anything but try to be kind and friendly during a time when the Prince was lonely. But by now, even Wallis knew there was more to "David's" feelings than just being a little lonely...she knew he was attached to her...even needed her.
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Her Aunt warned her in her letters to be careful, saying that nothing good could come of this. Aunt Bessie warned her that someone would be very hurt. Wallis dismissed it. Ernest Simpson called the whole thing "Wallis in Wonderland." Up until now, Ernest was usually by her side in public, but how long would he be able to do it? How long would this go on? People were talking. And what would happen to Wallis once she was discarded? She would be discarded, wouldn't she? After all, she was a married woman. Ernest worried about Wallis’s state of mind and what would happen to her once the “fairytale” ended. He didn’t want her to be hurt, yet he didn’t want to stop her from enjoying this once in a lifetime thrill.
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Wallis was excited, yet nervous and loosing weight and having stomach problems. The Prince called everyday, and he was demanding her attention. He wanted her at the Fort and at Ascot. He wanted her opinion on his households and her help. But she was married, and couldn’t just give the Prince all her time. She was married, after all. She could tell Ernest was edgy. Was he upset with her? She vowed to herself that somehow…somehow…she would try to give each man the attention they craved. Sooner or later, the Prince would tire of her. Shouldn't she try to enjoy it while she had the chance?
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And then…
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This writer of queens got tired, and so I will finish the story another day…

A Bit of Royal Austria...

...A stunning picture of the inside of Schonbrunn Palace in Austria. You can almost feel the coolness of the marble and if you're quiet, you may even hear the echo of heels as ladies in waiting hurry down the corridor. Imagine a grand ball taking place in one of the great rooms, walking up one of the ornate staircases or peeking into the private imperial apartments. The Schonbrunn is magnificent and not unlike Versailles in France. For centuries the Austrian Royals---the Hapsburgs---lived there and played there. There is a room that is named after Marie Antoinette. Yes, she lived there for part of her life. After all, her mother was the Empress Marie Theresa. Generations later, Emperor Franz Joseph met his future Bavarian bride, Elisabeth, as she entered the country before their marriage. Elisabeth, also known to us as Sisi or Sissi, was taken to the Schonbrunn Palace.
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The Austrian Royals are very interesting to read about. Lucky for us there are many generations of them to choose from. There's Empress Marie Theresa who adored her husband and her many children--it was a real love match---and she was bereft when her dear husband died. Later, there was Sissi. She had everything—almost everything—that could make a woman happy. Well, almost. Yet, she was never fulfilled; her marriage was never what it could have been. Although she was magnificently beautiful, her mother in law Sophie ran her life, took her children and did not allow her to assume her rightful place. Or was it her husband, Franz Joseph that allowed it to happen? If he had intervened on behalf of his wife, how different would their life have been?
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About a year ago I met a writer who was busy studying the Hapsburgs, and had become consumed by their rich history. She was knee deep in a novel at the time, and we emailed each other back and forth, discussing the Hapsburgs, their personalities and the etiquette of the Austrian Court. I really do this in my spare time and it’s great to meet other royal lovers and writers. Her novel is now done. Her name is Jennifer Linforth, and the finished novel is called:
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Adelrune
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What Jennifer found during her study was very interesting. She read about the mental illness that ran through their genes and became curious about a female family member who was kept hidden from the public and spent her days in the secluded rooms of the Schonbrunn palace. This got Jennifer thinking, and she came up with a brilliant story. The heroines name is Adelrune, but Adelrune is different from other women. She has a form of autism. Jennifer explains the condition below for us:
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Hans Asperger once said the difference between those with Asperger’s Syndrome and those not on the autism spectrum was as fine as a line drawn in the sand. His claim was we are all in some ways a bit ‘Aspergerish’. He first published his definition of this syndrome in 1944, bringing to light the traits of social isolation, intense obsession with one interest, awkward movements and mannerisms and a difficulty forming friendships. Prior to his work with autistic children in Vienna, many suffered asylums and were left to die. He viewed his patients as ‘little Einstein’s’ children who, despite their social development disorder, would possess great talent come adulthood. Asperger died before his findings and work with children became wildly noticed. It was not until the early 90’s that Asperger’s Syndrome became a recognized condition on the autism spectrum. Today, one out of 150 children and one in eighty boys suffer from autism. I wanted bring to light what life might have been like for an autistic young woman in 1866. She was far from the imbecile she would have been labeled as during this time period.
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Jennifer wrote her story against the backdrop of the Austrian royal family. Adelrune, who has a form of autism, tries to do her best as she is thrust into the mayhem of the extended imperial family. Now, how awesome is that? The hero, a grand duke, is not what he seems and keeps Adelrune comfortably in the dark about his true identity as a royal. I asked her for a bit of the novel to post on my blog, and she was kind enough to give me something. Here is an excerpt featuring Adelrune and the confusion surrounding a most royal hero….
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“Are you seeking your escort, Fraulein? Pardon my impropriety, but I cannot help but notice you seem as nervous as frightened rabbit. May I assist you?”
Adelrune spun and stammered at a rather handsome gentleman. “I am not a rabbit. And yes… my escort… that would be proper... but no, I am not looking for him.” She fussed with her gown too anxious to stand still. What did she know of balls?
The man followed her scans of the crowd. “If you are searching for the Kaiser, he never dances until the cotillion.”
“I care not for the Kaiser.” She pulled on a bone of a hoop. “I am looking for Duke Algrasser—my escort—so I can be certain to avoid him and the grand duke of Styria, so I can be sure I do not.”
A servant walked by balancing a silver tray.
“Champagne?” The gentleman lifted two flutes and handed one to her.
Adelrune jerked back. Champagne? Yes… she heard of this curious drink. Hesitantly, she accepted the thin crystal glass. Pale yellow liquid bubbled and shimmered in the light. She could not tear her eyes away from how it sparkled. Lifting it to her nose, the bubbles shot straight behind her eyes, making her ears tickle. The gentleman laughed and touched the flute to his lips.
“The Grand Duke?” The man sipped. “You are acquainted with his imperial highness?”
“No, I am acquainted wit his royal highness and I am rather fond of him. I know no one of imperial rank.”
Adelrune sipped as well, avoiding the man’s skewed expression and raised brow. The sweet champagne made her curl her lips into her mouth. No wonder the aristocracy enjoyed life. She took another taste.
The din of the ball fell away as Adelrune relaxed. Small glances over her flute allowed her to observe the ladies and gentlemen around her. Hardly as regal as them, she felt a bit insignificant in such opulence. She lifted her shoulder. What did it matter? She was in Kaiservilla, by the command of the grand duke!
“Shall I have the pleasure? Is your dance card full already?”
Adelrune took another sip of champagne. And to think Becca did not believe her when she said Klaus would love her openly. The gentleman to her side leaned it to her, jolting Adelrune out of her inspection.
“My what?”
“Your dance card.” He indicated the small book and lead dangling from her wrist.
Adelrune stared at it. She wondered what such an accessory was; the letters on the front were foreign to her. The man gestured for it again and with a bit of hesitation she handed it to him. He scrawled in it.
“Tell me, what are your favorite flowers?”
Adelrune blinked. What did that have to do with dancing? More champagne met her lips.
“Edelweiss.”
“Rather lofty for a cotillion bouquet, don’t you think? You will have to settle with roses from me for that dance. No man can gather enough edelweiss for a bouquet.”
“The grand duke of Styria can.”
“His imperial highness? Gathering edelweiss?” His laughed bounced across the marble.
“No. His royal highness. Truly sir, I suggest you keep things straight lest you look like a fool.”
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Okay, okay...back to the blog. Great huh? Don't you feel like you were there with her? And doesn't Adelrune have a will of her own? I'm happy to say that right now Jennifer's manuscript is being seriously considered for publication. Nothing is definite, but I have no doubt Adelrune will find a publisher. The story is unusual but compelling. I think Jennifer Linforth's name is soon going to become much more recognizable to the public. Not only will Adelrune certainly be snapped up shortly, she has recently sold another novel to Highland Press. It's called Madrigal, and it’s the continuation of Phantom of the Opera—so the girl is no novice. I don't have any other details about Madrigal, (you can find them on her blog and website) but I'm sure when it's released it will do very well... and I wouldn't be surprised if Adelrune was published at about the same time.
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Jennifer has explained to me why she loves the Austria of the mid 1800's. I can totally understand her fascination because I, too, love anything royal. I asked Jennifer to write down for us what fascinates her so much about the time period. Here is what she said:
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The world is growing weary of that most costly of all luxuries, hereditary kings.
—George Bancroft
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It was the softly seductive voice of Uwe Kröger, a star of the German stage crooning out “Die Letzt Tanz” (The Last Dance) that lured me to Austria. Kröger played the role of Der Tod (Death) in the musical sensation, Elisabeth, as beloved in Germany and Austria as Phantom of the Opera is in the United States. While it was a story of Sisi that whet my curiosity about Austrian history, it was the life of sadly retarded Kaiser Ferdinand I of Austria, Apostolic King of Hungary and the last crowned King of Bohemia that sealed my fate…
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Susan asked me to blog about why I am drawn to Austrian history. I’d love to say it is the sexy allure of the Hussar uniform. I simply cannot resist a man in tight red pants with a fraternal sash strapped tightly against a well sculpted chest, but it goes deeper than that. The Habsburg history is as proud as it is shameful, as glorious as it is humble, as sane as it is insane—literally.
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Many identify with Elisabeth of Witteslbach the Kaiserin of Austria. She never anticipated the crown of Austria —that right belonged to her sister Helena, but who was to refuse the Kaiser? Ruled by an overbearing mother in law, she was the picture of sympathy. But Sisi’s history was troubling and disturbed. Many novels and movies I stumbled across depicted a sweeping romance between her and Franz-Josef. But the more I studied Franz-Josef, the more I sympathized with him over Sisi. Here was a man who had no choice but to grow into an emperor. Follow his life to that of his son—a man drawn to the plight of the commoner, determined to see Austria move forward into the 20th century, but repressed by an ancient duty that bound him to his bloodline, the Catholic church, and the thoughts of 600 Habsburgs before him.
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The passion for their family name and such divided views for the future of their country, drew me to the Habsburg family. And sitting on the throne during one of Austria’s most bloody times was a man of little brain, but apparently great heart. Reading about Ferdinand and the history of mental illness and epilepsy in the Habsburg family made stories roll through my mind. I stumbled upon the history of an archduchess severely retarded and condemned to live in the secluded areas of the Schonbrunn palace. I was already a ‘branded’ author with a pending series depicting the life of a madman. Music was a theme in all my works as well. I could set fascinating stories in the backdrop of The City of Music and center them on a royal family begging to be brought to the foreground. Mention Austria/German history to someone of my generation (I am 36) and we instantly blurt, WWII. But what of WWI? What of Sarajevo? What of the Prussian War? What of the Habsburg curse…
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I grew up learning about the English monarchy. As an author I am surrounded by fellow writers who set historicals in England and Scotland. Face it— England and Scotland sell. But it is not the ISBN that lures me to be an author, it is the history. And since I always colored outside the lines, I am proud to be a writer bringing to life the Habsburg history--tragic, romantic, adventurous, proud, and unrivaled in its resilience.
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…I think she described her fascination well. She's really got me thinking about the Hapsburgs...and perhaps she has stirred something in you too. There are many, many wonderful authors...but I find it unusual to find one who truly loves the royals in such a way. When you love something, you make it come alive. The love you have for the subject shines through. For those of us who adore the royals and dream about them, I think we have something to look forward to...now that Jennifer is on the scene. I have no doubt that her work will be very entertaining. I'll keep you posted as to when Adelrune will be available and perhaps sometime in the future she'll give us a longer teaser. I hope so, because I just loved it. Sorry folks, I can’t ask her to give away all her secrets now.

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And a little about Jennifer Linforth. She lives off the brisk coast of Maine with her husband and daughter Abigail, who is only 15 months old. Besides finding the time to write with a toddler around, she also teaches environmental education at a local museum and is also a ranger—yes, a ranger!—at Acadia National Park. Her weblink is http://www.jenniferlinforth.com and her blog: http://jenniferlinforth.blogspot.com Her primary blog—From Idea to Publisher is found on her Live Journal: http://madrigalist.livejournal.com. She can also be reached via myspace at http://www.myspace.com/jenniferlinforthauthor.

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I wish I could tell you that Adelrune will be available next month for purchase...but, I can't. Sadly, we royal lovers will have to wait a little longer to read her rich story of love and mental illness in the secret world of the Hapsburgs... Personally, I can’t wait. Oh, and if you have any questions for Jennifer about her novel or about Austrian royalty, just ask…and we’ll get the answers posted promptly.

All she wanted was to be a mother....

Imagine being engaged, promised or betrothed to be married at 10 years old? And then being married at 14 years old, to another teenager, who happened to be the heir to the French Throne. That's what happened to Anne of Austria.

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On November 25, 1615, the teenagers, both royals, married. Anne was then the wife of Louis XIII. They say that the couple consummated the marriage quickly. But, for a variety of reasons it appears there was long stretches of time that the royal couple were not intimate. Could it be that Louis was unkind to Anne? Perhaps Anne missed her homeland and her family.

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During the 1620's, there were rumours of pregnancies. A pregnancy was a must for the Bourbon Line. The couple must have a male child. It's recorded that Louis himself told an ambassador that his Queen had four miscarriages. In thinking about this young girl, fair, with a sweet smile.. about 20 years old, I feel for her. Not being able to get pregnant is enough to throw the strongest of women into a depression. If you add in the possibility of more than one miscarriage, how tragic for this Spanish Princess. What pain she endured. She must have wondered why she couldn't conceive or carry a child. At times she must have feared being sent back to her homeland. If Louis had wanted to...well, he could have acted to have the marriage annulled.

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Louis's younger brother wasn't loosing sleep over Queen Anne's infertility. If she didn't produce an heir, he was next in line to inherit the French crown. The Queen's marriage wasn't hostile, but it definitely wasn't pleasant. That we know. Anne traveled to the different royal residences, prayed, enjoyed the theater very much---she prayed more---and she enjoyed eating. And she loved sweets. Sounds like us, don't you think?

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She wasn't the most popular Queen and she knew it. She continued to pray about her infertility. and it wasn't only Anne that prayed. Many of the religious of her day prayed for her. While the faithful prayed, there was scandal, gossip and Anne was even suspected of conspiracies against her husband. None of this could have been easy for her. To make things worse, she had been married now 20 years---yes, 20 years--and still there was no child. You have to imagine that in her heart of hearts, Anne was near to giving up. She was in her thirties. It would be rare to become pregnant at that age. In the 1600's, she was considered old. Her marital relationship wasn't the best as we know and obviously that brings its own problems. And even somehow, if there was some miracle...would she have a boy? And if she did have a boy, would he even live? Child mortality rates were very low.

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November and December of 1637 were interesting for several reasons. In December, we know that the royal couple spent at least one night together under the same roof due to an unexpected storm. (Surely there were more as well.) And in November, a monk in Paris claims to have had a vision. He claimed that the Virgin Mary appeared to him, telling him that the Queen would indeed become pregnant and that he should inform her of this. The monk sent word to the couple.

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When Brother Fiacre, the monk, finally met personally with the King and Queen several months later, Anne was ecstatic. She was pregnant! Her doctor had confirmed it weeks before. It was a miracle, a miracle! It appears that the Queen felt it was so. Whether it was a miracle or not...I certainly do not know...what a wonderful story! I can almost imagine her joy and happiness. At age thirty six, she was carrying a baby, finally. She must have been on cloud nine, or whatever they called it in the 1600's. It was generally thought by all that this baby would be a lucky child, protected by God.

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The baby that was born on the 5th of September 1638, was the famous Louis XIV. He was certainly a lucky King, a great King. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. At that point, on that warm September day in a room that overlooked the river Seine, there was a healthy Dauphin born. The birth was witnessed by many of the Court. To say there was rejoicing would be an understatement. As the afternoon wore on and the witnesses left, Anne rested. It would not be stretching the truth to say that the fragrance of flowers flowed through the open windows of Anne's room as she laid in bed that day, looking at her robust son. No doubt she feel asleep exhausted, but with a smile on her face.

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Anne adored her son. She spent much time with him, although it was not the court etiquette of the day. None of that mattered to her. She played with him and took him outside. Her baby was considered very beautiful and she enjoyed fussing over him and combing his hair. He inherited her soft, warm brown curls. Her joy was compounded when she gave birth to another boy named Phillipe two years later. She waited half her life for these miracles that had eluded her for so long...so she didn't waste a moment.

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She adored being a mother and the children came to her often. Little Louis loved Anne and formed a very close attachment to her, as most boys do. And it did not fade. This attachment remained with Louis. Although Anne loved both sons, she clearly adored her eldest. Did Anne show him this preference to prepare him for his future role? We can only guess. But whether the three of them shared a bath, played, shared dinner....or prayed together... the time they spent together was special, sweet and lasting. Anne gave them a real childhood and a feeling of safety. She was their constant. They didn't see their father nearly as much as their mother. And the brothers played as brothers do...laughing sometimes and fighting at other times. It was evident to all at court that these boys were the joy of her life.

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And they said she couldn't do it.

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Well done, Anne!