The Queen’s dislike for Tony Blair has reportedly put the blockers on him getting an Order of the Garter which was bestowed on all his predecessors. In turn this has stopped those who came after him being given the honour which is in the sovereign’s personal gift. Relations between Blair and the Palace have been strained since the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana in 1997 and didn’t warm up much in the ten years following of his tenure at No 10 as prime minister, with his wife Cherie famously knee-stiffening rather than curtseying to the monarch. Classy.
Blair and HM are certainly badly-matched despite both being Sun Taurus. His Pluto is conjunct HM’s Neptune for confusion and opposition HM’s Mars Jupiter for irritations and frustrations and game playing; and square HM’s Saturn Midheaven for a resentful sense of being stuck with this and not happy.
Relations are just as bad in a different way with Cherie, whose Mars is in an implacable-dislike opposition to HM’s 6th house Pluto and Cherie’s Saturn opposes HM’s Sun and squares HM’s Moon for a frosty chemistry.
Tony Blair and HMQ’s relationship chart has a chilly Sun opposition Saturn Moon. Though again the chemistry between Cherie and HM is worse with an aggravated and hostile composite Mars opposition Pluto and Pluto in a power-struggling, one-up-manship square to the composite Jupiter.
Blair keeps popping up into the public arena trying to sound like a senior statesman and being roundly boo-ed off stage. He’s had a tough decade with the tr Uranus square tr Pluto bouncing off his Venus in Aries opposition Neptune Saturn in Libra square Uranus; with his Solar Arc Pluto grinding across the conjunction to his Neptune Saturn when the Chilcot Iraq Inquiry Report came out. He’s still got tr Pluto square his Mercury through 2021/22, bringing intense discussions and some mental strain; and his Solar Arc Sun will form a neurotic, confused and stuck square to his Neptune Saturn in late 2022/23; followed by his Solar Arc Moon in opposition Saturn Neptune across the middle of this decade which may bring family disruptions and concerns. So his travails are likely to continue.
Tr Pluto will conjunct his Midheaven from February 2021 onwards which can sometimes mean damage to reputation and a fall from grace, followed by many years thereafter of searching for a vocation. But since he’s been there anyway for a decade plus it’s difficult to see quite how it will turn out. Though by all accounts he will soon get a knighthood if only to allow for those who followed him to get their elevations of whatever variety.
If the Queen feels compromised into giving Blair whatever award has to be given – she could always put the boot in by having Prince Andrew do the honours.
I always thought Blair had a bit of a Messiah complex, if that’s the right phrase – that he thought he was appointed by God to save the world. Is there anything in his chart that backs that up?
Well, Jupiter conjunct Mars trine the MC looks like quite a bit of inflated energy I think. I agree, Victoria, he did have an air of being a bit “holy”, or rather thinking of himself as special (superior?) in some way.
‘Private Eye’ famously lampooned Tony Blair as the Vicar of St. Albion, author of the biweekly column, ‘St. Albion Parish News’. There was always something quite holier than thou about him. The combination of the crusading Mars/Jupiter trine Neptune/Saturn in Air signs possibly?
Yes VF, I remember that too 🙂
You could be right about those aspects. He also had a stationary Pluto, like Thatcher. There was something quite intense about both of them, him the big fixed grin and her the icy stare. Harold Wilson is the only other I’ve seen with a stationary Pluto, but it was accompanied by a stationary Saturn. All quite heavyweight PM’s in terms of legacy and multiple terms too which is interesting (Wilson having the gap, maybe that’s Saturn influence?)
Yes, I’d forgotten the Vicar of St Albion! Very apt! I also wonder about the Aquarian Moon close to the NN – seems like a lot of “the public” and “the masses” symbolism combined with Aquarius and it’s association with the idea of humanity. The Moon/Nodes are also aspecting both Mars for 1066 and 1801. Energising “things can only get better”, war-like, and attracting public acclaim and public dismay and anger? Will he have yet another go at being a public figure when Jupiter in Aquarius transits that Moon/Nodes? And then there’s the Saturn transit, and Uranus to think about too. Fate? And what was it that made him appear to be “Teflon Tony” – Jupiter in the 12th?
Although Jupiter/Mars are conjunct the Asc they’re in the 12th house along with his Taurus Sun. Under certain house systems, his Aries Venus and Mercury are in there too giving him up to five planets in the 12th. Natives with 12th house planets can feel they have to be a saviour.
I always felt that Blair with his Aqua moon/NN was another of those leaders who tapped into the zeitgeist with his leadership terms coinciding with Uranus-Neptune through Aqua. And his greedy Taurus planets playing into the last Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of the earth cycle and leading to the financial crisis.
Good observations, GD…..such contradictions, being a Taurus (immovable) with a Gemini ascendant, Mercury is the chart ruler AND vocational indicator but…square the MC – thus the Bliar tag – ugh…that packed 12th with 5 planets shows invisible unconscious drives its very watery through the connection to Pisces, but so much conflict….Gemini…and Merc opp Neptune! whew! fantasist, moi? or at least… porkies. Five cardinal planets show much ado about….but he has little flexibility – I find the photo of the two of them very powerful, giving an idea of how they really are – there is something aloof, but also en garde and removed from where they are… Jupiter is exceptionally highlighted, right time/place kind of thing….pr. Sun coming up to square Saturn, also conjunct Moon and Nodes (the people -…who they, he says? -) not great for publicity – why did the Queen ‘gift’ him when she dislikes him intensely?
Tranist Moon conjunct Pluto opp natal Moon in 10th conjunct the node is a bit ‘ugh’ – has anybody previously kicked up about a gong? From the planetary positions, family life surely isn’t a haven of ….calm..Chiron on the MC may indicate he got what he wanted….but opposite Sat/Neptune there are surely unexpected consequences…..Marjorie, the photo says it all – they are tense, wary, not together…..haven’t looked at the synastry but….hmmmm. I thought old soldiers faded away, but that was in the days when Ego’s Dare weren’t so prevalent….remember ‘Harold Wilson and how normal he was, the Queen loved him above all other PM’s, but from her great age knows the difference between genuine people and….the rest.
I would say it is definitely the Mars/ Jupiter conjunction on the Ascendant – that would give a crusading, evangelical zeal. The conjunction is in the 12th house so it would be tapping into the collective unconscious. The 12th house can represent our illusions, sacrifice, even our self-undoing. Jupiter is in the 29th degree which is sometimes called the power degree as can intensify the manifestation of planets placed there. The 29th degree is also called the degree of fate – there is an irreversible/ irretrievable feel. As a backdrop he has a very tight Saturn Neptune conjunction.
Partly it is his Sun on the point of a T Square to control-freak Pluto and Moon – that kind of Sun is always ego-centric. I also remember when he was elected someone said he had a Simian line on his palm which can point to a visionary or someone who thinks he is.
That probably explains his rictus grin mentioned above – especially as the T square is in fixed signs.
Odd that Thatcher and Blair, the two most electorally successful politicians in the U.K. during the post Second World period have such a divisive legacy. In many ways the two are inextricably linked because without Thatcher it is highly unlikely Blair would ever have become leader of the Labour Party. Moreover, like Thatcher, he broke with the traditions that had shaped his party’s thinking after 1945. His electoral success had a poisoned legacy not just in the shape of the misjudged support for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 but in the fact his attempt to build “rainbow coalitions” ultimately weakened Labours appeal to its traditional voting base. Queen Elizabeth II is supposed to have had tense relationships with both Thatcher and Blair. However, the former did receive the Order of Merit in 1990 after her fall from power so I assume that there must be some reason other than simple royal displeasure why Blair has not received similar honours. Perhaps it has less to do with personal animosity and more to do with the fact that Blair simply seems unable to retire gracefully.
“And of course, he did not place any restrictions on the number of A8 (Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, etc) citizens who could come to the UK when they joined the EU. The UK, Ireland and Sweden were the only countries not to place limitations on the numbers of A8 citizens allowed in.”
Just a clarification: In most countries, restrictions weren’t really based on “number”, some sort of a quota, but rather qualification/invitation. FA worker who had a job, or even an invitation, could definitely “get in” to a “restricted” country, too. Many countries also dropped restrictions soon.
Also, in 2007, when Romania and Bulgaria entered EU, only countries initially not restricting entry were Sweden and Finland. Did we get absolutely inundated by Romanian and Bulgarian workers? Incredibly, we didn’t. On the other hand, Romanians are now largest foreign group in Italy, where there are over 1 million Romanians (making people born in Romania closer to 2 per cent of the total population) and second largest in Spain, where they are 800 000.
So, clearly, there’s more to making a particular destination compelling for immigrants than cutting some burocracy. Usually, it’s the reputation the destination enjoys combined to existing networks. For instance, Romanians didn’t just find Italy in 2007. They’d been coming, invited, for seasonal work since the early 1990’s, and many had already stayed, possibly since the language was easier for them. People coming after 2007 could rely on networks of people. So, it should have not come as a surprise to British people that many Polish would find the country attractive. There already was a sizeable Polish Community in The UK in the 19th century, as well as post-WWII refugee community. Obviously that’s a “pull factor”!
Therefore, in my opinion, pinning this particular development on Blair’s “sin list” is bit of a stretch. I would maybe look at his general “Neo Liberal” views on economy that made things harder for working and lower middle class in general.
“Also, in 2007, when Romania and Bulgaria entered EU, only countries initially not restricting entry were Sweden and Finland. Did we get absolutely inundated by Romanian and Bulgarian workers? Incredibly, we didn’t. On the other hand, Romanians are now largest foreign group in Italy, where there are over 1 million Romanians (making people born in Romania closer to 2 per cent of the total population) and second largest in Spain, where they are 800 000.”
🙂 So they gravitated towards countries with a fellow Romance country background. Indeed I have read that Italian is the language most similar to Romanian and hence it is easier to learn for Romanians.
“There already was a sizeable Polish Community in The UK in the 19th century, as well as post-WWII refugee community.”
Nowhere near as sizable as it became. And indeed, Blair should have factored in that pull factor in that case.
“pinning this particular development on Blair’s “sin list” is bit of a stretch.”
Not as much of a stretch as you may think. Societies tend to dislike rapid change. And this was rapid change. The EU stuck to its guns that there was no alternative to “freedom of movement”, that it was so fundamental to them that it could not be negotiated. Fine then, we voted to leave the EU.
I would agree with the point that @Jonathan Portes was making, that Blair shares some, if not a significant amount of, blame for Brexit.
I went to a London Catholic school in the 1980’s and while there were Polish descended children, I wouldn’t call the community sizeable. There were far more children descended from Irish, Italian, Spanish and Greek families. There were only 22 children in my class.
Fast forward 30 years and half the playground of the non-catholic, home counties school I am collecting my daughter from is speaking Polish, a very ordinary school with over 180 children on the waiting list and 35 children in each class. You can see the connection people made and yes it was exploited. I think the upper middle classes waxing lyrical about diverse cultural enrichment, when children couldn’t get school places and how cheaply and efficiently they could now get their extension and en suite bathrooms built when more and more people were priced out of their home towns and working zero hour contracts added to the resentment. In many ways Brexit was nothing to do with identity and immigration and a lot to do about class struggle, when you peel back the layers.
For Londoners and other city dwellers, this was less shocking because the population changed all the time. I remember a time in London in the late 90’s when you couldn’t walk into a pub without hearing an Aussie accent or walk past a building site without hearing Irish accents and the early 90’s when I was the only British born child in my particular Maths set (the others were from Kosovo, Kurdish Iraq, Somalia and Turkey). None of these things lasted and weren’t a problem anyway. But in the counties and shires, this felt like a big, sudden cultural change and perhaps one you had to witness and experience.
That is a good point, tara.
When I used to live in south-west London, that area and places like Ealing used to be full of Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas on Youth-Mobility visas, getting an experience of the UK before returning home. They used to do low-paid roles like bar-tending, being servers at restaurants, etc, because they were just there to have the experience of living in the UK, have fun and return home.
Lately almost all the Walkabout Aussie pubs have closed, my former local which used to have a regular South African barbeque in summer has discontinued it and almost all the servers and bar-tenders are East European.
This is in the most EU friendly part of London and I doubt that this would have caused anybody living there to vote Leave. But these are things that do get noticed.
A bit of background information about the Order of the Garter.
Founded in 1348 by Edward III, it is limited to 24 ordinary (British and other Commonwealth citizens) living members (Supernumerary (generally foreign monarchs) members are over and above that limit). Because of that numeric limitation, it is more exclusive than a peerage.
And it is an honour in the personal gift of the Queen (i.e. it is not awarded by the government or a politician, but is a sign of her personal favour). So it is not a case of the government blocking the honour.
The traditional honour for Prime Ministers till recently was a peerage in the House of Lords. But John Major refused his and was made a KG (Kinght of the Garter) instead. All subsequent Prime Ministers have either not got or declined both honours. So, again, Tony Blair has not been singled out. Prime Ministers after him have not got the honour either.
The Wikipedia article on the Order of the Garter lists the current members of that Order. There are apparently three vacancies (i.e. there are only 21 living members of the Order at the moment).
On the subject of Tony Blair. The first budget that Gordon Brown introduced, with Blair’s total agreement, robbed the private sector’s pension funds of more than seven billion pounds. Within a few years most of those pension funds had either closed to new members or had their worth greatly reduced.
That pair also changed the mortgage rules so that those buying properties to rent could get mortgages at a cheaper rate that those buying them to self occupy. A move which Blair and that money obsessed wife of his took full advantage.
If there’s some rule that stops other politicians leap frogging a potential honour for TB I’m surprised the rules aren’t changed…perhaps that’s what Saturn in Aquarius will bring us?
Apparently the reason Her Majesty fell out with Tony Blair was his behaviour following the death of Diana.
He referred to her as The people’s princess… And the queen did not like that . He also suggested that she should leave Balmoral where she was hiding and return to London to face the people. She did not like that either
She’s a Taurean….They dont forgive or forget easily.
She wasn’t hiding in Balmoral, she was looking after William and Harry while Charles had to go to Paris. She was being a grandmother but Blair made it look like she was avoiding ‘her people’ and the press ran with it. It was a cruel thing to do when the family was coping privately with two grieving boys.
I’ve always felt he took political advantage of Diana’s death, whipping up sentiment against the Queen which ended with the press demanding that she return to London to ‘speak to her people’. There was no empathy with the fact that she stayed in Scotland to be a Grandmother first to two young boy’s who had lost their mother. Loathsome behaviour. And as for riding on G Dubya’s coat tails in order to appear as a world statesman, that worked out really well, didn’t it? He doesn’t deserve any award or decoration, the teflon is wearing thin.
I’m a bit confused by some of this and the language used. There’s a lot that Tony Blair did that I do not agree with. However the level of poverty in the population was a lot better under Blair than the preceding and all subsequent conservative administrations and surely the entrenched class system of the UK does need challenging. My recollection of Diana’s death is that the queen did appear out of touch, as she was at Aberfan initially, and that Blair reflected the mood of the population. There was nothing kind in making the two young princes, in all their distress, walk behind that coffin. That said, nothing excuses the slavish following of the US into the war in Iraq.
I always felt he (if there is such a thing), is the nearest personification of a demon. He looks demonic. One can only hope the sword slips during the knighting ceremony.
Tony Blair was the *REAL* back story and reason behind Brexit, for all of you still smarting from the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
Oh… and he also lost Scotland for the Labour Party forever.
How so on Brexit? Not disagreeing just curious.
A thread on almost exactly this topic on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/TomMcTague/status/1343623733731356675
Blair was a deep pro-European and essentially spent most of his tenure trying to make the British system of government more European. So, getting rid of the hereditary peers in the Lords, splitting the Supreme Court from the Lords (which I believe that the current government may attempt to reverse), creating a Ministry of Justice (for roles that were performed by the Home Office anyway), trying to convert the Lord Chancellor into a Secretary of State (the Lords did amend that heavily), etc.
He brought peace to Northern Ireland, but he essentially based the peace on the basis that both the UK and Ireland were a part of the EU. That is what has caused major ructions in the Brexit process.
And of course, he did not place any restrictions on the number of A8 (Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, etc) citizens who could come to the UK when they joined the EU. The UK, Ireland and Sweden were the only countries not to place limitations on the numbers of A8 citizens allowed in. Apparently, Blair’s government expected only tens of thousands, whereas hundreds of thousands actually arrived.
And people underestimate the change. Polish overtook Urdu/Hindi as the most common non-English language by the 2011 census (just 7 years after the A8 accession in 2004).
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/language/articles/languageinenglandandwales/2013-03-04
I think that Blair just had no idea of how much his reforming zeal could backfire, which it did with the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Also forgot to mention this stat, that within four years of restrictions being lifted from the arrivals of Romanians and Bulgarians in the UK, Romanian became the second most common foreign passport in the UK, after Polish, both of them leapfrogging over Indian and Pakistani passport-holders, whose immigration to the UK had been over a longer period of time.
Indeed, in just 2017-18, the number of Romanians in the UK increased 25% in one year.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/24/romanian-second-most-common-non-british-nationality-uk
Note that the article quoted is from the Guardian, which is left-leaning and pro-immigration, not a right-wing rag.
I agree Jonathan about Tony Blair being the back story of “Brexit “ as he and Gordon Brown ignored thier traditional voters for years. People don’t believe in Politics anymore. Labour in power became self serving pigs at the trough with thier pay, pension increases and expenses. Labour voters expected better morals from labour MPs than conservative MPs yet they proved to be from the same ilk. I can only speak for myself and my world who were spoon fed the virtues of the Labour Party from an early age, who believed in them and politics . We were stunned at what they did and didn’t do.Labour voters. seemed to be last in the queue who labour looked after . I think Brexit was a revolt against politicians who blamed the EU laws for thier lack of action or apathy as a whole. Soon they won’t be able to hide as as they will have to serve the people who pay thier wages- the tax payer! Cameron would never have held the referendum if he thought it would be out and that shows how out of touch politicians are .Labour also took a black economy, squandered it and put us in unbelievable debt and an illegal war. That man should also be be up for war crimes.
You can’t fault Her Maj’s judgement here.
In my opinion, war criminals shouldn’t be ennobled.
It’s fair to say Tony Blair really is/was a divisive figure and I have never liked him for the reasons that have already been stated here by all. However; Snewno, you couldn’t have said a truer word and Alexis, I can’t believe somebody else thinks the same way as me; I too, think there’s something demonic about him.
I am no fan of the monarchy as an institution but I tend to like Her Majesty’s judgment. God save the Queen.