Amanda Knox is still fighting legal battles in Italy 17 years after she was wrongly accused of murdering Merdeith Kercher. She was initially convicted and jailed for four years, then faced five trials before she was acquitted in 2015. She has lost an attempt to overturn her slander conviction for blaming the wrong man immediately after the murder. Her three-year sentence has been upheld for which she has served time and she has been ordered to pay costs to wrongly accused man.

Her plea was that she had been “tricked” and “slapped” by Italian police after the murder and that they had forced her to accuse an innocent man of the killing during a lengthy night-time interrogation without a lawyer and a translator. She said “I was forced to submit, I was too confused and exhausted to resist,” she said, adding: “I’m very sorry I was not strong enough to have resisted the police pressure. I was scared, tricked and mistreated. I gave the testimony in a moment of existential crisis.” She wrote the following day: “In regards to this ‘confession’ that I made last night, I want to make it clear that I’m very doubtful of the verity of my statements because they were made under the pressures of stress, shock and extreme exhaustion.”

 She was born 9 July 1987 2.47am Seattle, Washington, and has a Cancer Sun trine Pluto; with Pluto square Mars in Leo and an 8^th house Neptune opposition Venus Mercury in Cancer in her 2^nd square North Node in Aries. Her Mars square Pluto would tend to attract her into high-drama and high-risk situations which her 8^th house Neptune opposition Mercury would not handle well, tending to split off into confusion. Plus she has no Earth planets so will not be practical or grounded.

  Her relocation chart to Perugia is not startlingly bad though it does put Uranus on her IC opposition Chiron on her MC. Melanie Rhinehart remarks of Chiron opposition Uranus is that it heightens the need for freedom and can bring problems with authority figures.

 Given her 7^th house Uranus and her Sun/Moon midpoint being conjunct her Libra South Node one might argue that relationships would be where she met her greatest challenge, one way or another.

 It always was an odd case and she reacted very bizarrely at the time – but for all that ifs and buts the Italian police acted appallingly badly and nothing should be allowed to stand from any interrogation done under these circumstances.  

 Not that she looks like prevailing with tr Pluto opposition her Mars this year and next which is frustratingly trapped. With tr Pluto having a few more years before it exits her legal 9^th.

Add On:

From an old post during the original trials:

‘What is intriguing is the North Node cross over between Knox and Sollecito whom she’d only known for two weeks before the murder. His Aries Sun is exactly conjunct her Aries Moon’s North Node – a fated connexion indeed.

  Even more so is Knox with Rudy Guede, the Ivory Coast drifter (26 Dec 1986) who is now serving time for the murder after a fast track trial though he now claims his innocence and is appealing. His Sun Neptune in Capricorn is closely square Knox’s NNode and her Cancer Sun is exactly square his Aries NNode. And his Sun Neptune is closely square Sollecito’s Sun. Destinies that criss crossed.

  Knox’s relationship chart with Sollecito has a Venus conjunct NNode opposition Pluto which is passionate and her relationship chart with Guede has a Yod of Venus sextile Pluto quincunx NNode. Both would certainly fit with the idea of ‘sex games. On the night of the murder (2 Nov 2007) the Scorpio Sun was conjunct the composite Venus on the Knox/Sollecito relationship chart; and conjunct the composite Pluto on the Knox/Guede relationship chart. Whatever happened that night and who did it – there are certainly astrological pointers to a very fated connection between all three of them.’

And the synastry between Meredith Kercher and Knox is also startling with Meredith’s Sun Neptune in Capricorn falling in Knox’s 8^th house and her Mars in Scorpio conjunct Knox’s Pluto.

  What an unholy entanglement of fated connections.

Extra thought – Knox’s Mars square Pluto is one of those never-let-go-grievances traits. Think Angelina Jolie. No matter how justified, there comes a point where moving on and accepting that life is sometimes unfair is sensible.

The upcoming EU elections according to the polls point to a populist victory, with the Greens are set to be the biggest losers. Nearly half of the parliament’s 720 seats could be held by populist right-wing parties, with the parties led by  Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen doing well.

NB. Polls to be treated with a bucket of salt.

   What is clear looking at the EU chart of 31 December 1957 11pm Brussels, is that the years between 2021 to 2026 are the most critical in its history. It might not be too much to say it is when the bloc is fighting for its soul.  

 There are two key configurations in the EU chart – one is an 8^th house Taurus Moon opposition Neptune square Uranus opposition Venus – fixed, not flexible, secretive, overly optimistic on the cash front. The other is a 12^th house Pluto square Mars in argumentative Sagittarius in the 3^rd – which could suggest corruption or dirty dealings between the scenes. Both of the above point to a distinct dislike of change and transparency.

  Not only has tr Uranus been rattling the Fixed Moon, Uranus and then Venus since 2020/21. The Solar Arc Mars square Solar Arc Pluto has been colliding with the EU Fixed planets since 2020/21as well – with the SA Pluto aiming to oppose the 8^th house Moon through 2025 which will bring exceptional economic pressures to bear, exacerbated when SA Mars is conjunct the speculative 5^th house Venus in 2026.

 And to cap it all tr Uranus into Gemini will start to rattle up the 12^th house Pluto square Mars through 2026/27 for a time of aggravation, high-tension, risk and perhaps secrets being dragged out into the open. Tr Pluto is also square the 2^nd house Neptune in 2026/27 for financial panics.

 On a cursory glance Le Pen will be one foot forward one foot back this year and into turbulent possibly cataclysmic times in 2026/27.

 Meloni looks less troubled.

Claudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico’s first female president as a continuity candidate from the previous president Obrador, a charismatic left-wing populist, who has been accused by the opposition of moving away from democratic norms, concentrating power and giving the military a growing role in the economy and public security.

 She was born 24 June 1962 in Mexico City, in a secular Jewish family (Bulgaria and Lithuania), studied at Berkeley, California, and was a scientist with a share of a Nobel prize, teaching and researching climate change and energy challenges; and is a mother of two (and grandmother of one).

 The election was marred by violence with two reported dead, after a campaign which saw two dozen aspiring local politicians murdered. The question is whether she can have an impact on the crime-plagued nation and lead it away from machismo and gang violence. In Mexico around 10 women or girls are murdered every day.

  She is a Sun Cancer widely trine Jupiter in Pisces trine Neptune – a Water Grand trine formed into a kite by a super-confident Jupiuter opposition Pluto.  She is certainly capable and has the drive to succeed. She also has Mars in Taurus square Uranus, so thrives on excitement and danger. Plus her Saturn in Aquarius opposes Venus North Node in Leo square Neptune in a Fixed T square – she has endurance and perseverance.

 Her Jupiter falls in the Mexico 10^th close to the Midheaven with her Sun in the Mexico 1^st house so she brings confidence, luck and a positive slant to Mexico’s tattered image. Her Uranus is conjunct the Mexico volatile and argumentative 3^rd house Mars in Leo so she will face up to the traditional machismo. Her Pluto is on the Mexico IC for a hope of transforming the claustrophobic family culture.

  She will have her work cut out and tr Neptune Saturn in Aries square her Cancer Sun in 2026/27 won’t help as it undermines her best efforts and spreads confusion.

  Her relationship chart with Mexico, 15 September 1810 11pm Dolores Hidalgo, has a reforming composite Uranus trine Pluto which is a hopeful sign – but again runs into trouble from 2026 onwards for several years.

 The Mexico chart does have its Solar Arc Moon (start time and chart being accurate) conjunct its Neptune this year; tr Pluto in a confident trine to Jupiter; and a startling tr Uranus square to Mars – so sounds about right – with tr Pluto also exactly square its Taurus Moon.

Brave woman.

‘A love story to the mountains in the mist, the northern lights and the red deer at dawn’ is the essence of Ken Smith’s memoir The Way of the Hermit. For years, he was a “homeless nomad,” wandering through Alaska, Canada and Scotland. Now in his late 70s, he lives in the Scottish Highlands in a cabin he built of fallen trees. He didn’t move to the wilderness to find God or avoid people but to become part of nature.

   In his teens he first visited the Highlands and “felt immediately at ease when wandering alone in those mountains,” he writes. “They spoke to me in a way that nowhere else had.” In his twenties he was mugged by skinheads who left him for dead. After being hospitalized for months and undergoing four brain surgeries, he decided he wanted to live the life he wanted, not one stuck behind a desk. 

  Off he went, to the Yukon, fighting off grizzly bears; avoiding a charging bull moose; nearly freezing in a tent, and almost drowning in a raging river. He writes: “It was intoxicating, invigorating, and utterly liberating.” Latterly he has settled in Scotland on the shores of a remote Scottish loch, in his log cabin, an eight-mile walk to the nearest road and nine miles beyond that to town for groceries. He has suffered a stroke and cancer but always returns to the cabin.

Born 28 October 1947 in Derbyshire, he has a Scorpio Sun; with Venus and Mercury also in Scorpio opposition a Taurus North Node and Algol and square Pluto, Mars, Saturn in Leo. He’s nothing is not resilient – very fixed, courageous, got endurance but not emotionally settled with a troubled Venus and his Aries Moon out of element with his Scorpio Sun.

His Taurus North Node found its calling in nature very early.

 Terry Anderson, the Hezbollah prisoner who survived six years as a hostage was born a day before and has that teeth-grittingly determined Mars, Pluto, Saturn in Leo as well as Scorpio Sun and all the rest (see post 24 April 2024).  

 Smith writes that people who read his book are probably searching for their inner hermit. I must admit I share his love affair with mountains – but full fibre broadband, Sainsbury deliveries and indoor plumbing tend to win the argument.

The jungle drums are beating at Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge gates with hints that King Charles’ patience is wearing thin about him remaining in the 30 room mansion. At present he holds it under a lease which stipulates renovations and maintenance which he cannot afford without his brother’s largesse. Charles funds his £3 million a year security bill  and an additional living allowance, thought to be well in excess of £1 million a year. If he moved to Frogmore Cottage, recently vacated by the Sussexes, within Windsor Castle ground, it would get rid of the need for separate round-the-clock security.

  If Charles were to withdraw his allowance, Andrew would have to fund his own security, housekeepers, gardeners and home improvements.

  Recently there has been no indication that Andrew would budge, except in the astrology. Born 19 February 1960 3.38pm London, his 4^th house Scorpio Moon (ever a clinger-on) is due for tr Uranus opposition from the 17^th of this month into early July, and repeating November and April 2025 which certainly suggests a domestic upheaval. That goes alongside his SA Pluto conjunct his 4^th house Neptune, exact in three months, which will make it feel like a devastating loss. Plus tr Neptune is square his Solar Arc Midheaven and Jupiter this year for a disappointment and dashed-hopes; with his Progressed Mars moving to conjunct his financial 8^th house Mercury within months as well. Into 2025 tr Uranus squares his Pisces Sun.  

  He may well bluster his entitled and staggeringly unself-aware way through for a few months more with the over-confident tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Jupiter midpoint this September, October to late November or extort concessions before budging.

  His relationship chart with Charles has a disruptive tr Uranus square the composite Pluto from after mid this month onwards as well as an undermining tr Neptune square the Jupiter all year, dissolving good feels between them.

 Princess Anne looks rattled with him as tr Uranus is conjunct their composite Sun and square Pluto from early July onwards, on and off into 2025.

 Prince William, never a great fan of his sleazy uncle, has been exerting pressure with tr Pluto square their composite Sun throughout 2023 and all of this year; with an undermining tr Neptune square Venus and opposition Pluto – with nothing improving after Uranus moves into Gemini.

  Even Prince Edward is sensing a change and not for the better.

 See previous posts: 7 January 2024 and 2 March 2023 under Prince Andrew in search

Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent, overcame a near fatal shooting 20 years ago in Saudi Arabia, with an extended recovery period in which he nearly died, to continue his career and travel extensively despite now being confined to a wheelchair.

 Born a year before Sebastian Junger, another war-reporting journalist, who has written about his near death experience (see post below) Frank Gardner’s chart has strong similarities. Both have their Chiron opposition Pluto, giving them an attraction for danger and excitement; and both have Neptune in Scorpio on the focal point of a T square (as does Barack Obama). Neptune can have an idealistic side, but is also a dreamer with deep emotional yearnings which ordinary life won’t fulfil. Such a Neptune can be creative – and Gardner is onto his 4^th fictional crime thriller; and is certainly inspirational and healing for others.

 Gardner was born 31 July 1961, no birth time, with a diplomat father expelled for espionage activities from Czechoslovakia and a mother who worked for the Foreign Office. He started studying Arabic at college and even when he started as an investment banker he travelled constantly in the Middle East. He switched to journalism and became a BBC correspondent.

 He has an entertaining Leo Sun opposition an optimistic and humanitarian Jupiter in Aquarius square Neptune; with his Mars in Virgo in a disciplined and gutsy trine to Saturn in Capricorn. Like Junger as well he has his Saturn on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Uranus sextile Venus – not a natural fitter-inner to an ordinary lifestyle. A Saturnine yod does demand maturity and realism to make it work well.

  When he was shot on 6 June 2004, his Solar Arc Sun was conjunct his Mars; tr Pluto was conjunct his SA Neptune; and there was a collection of tr Uranus and Solar Arc Saturn all crowding on top of his Pluto opposition Chiron. His companion  died instantly. He somehow survived six bullets — and eleven bullet holes — and remained conscious throughout his ordeal.

  He started writing fiction since he became bored on long flights to Los Angeles and is now onto his fourth novel, Invasion, featuring Luke Carlton, a latter-day James Bond risking life and limb in Taiwan for king and country.

Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French during World War 11 and later president of France, was famously anti-English/British even as Churchill and the Americans fought to free Europe from Hitler. One of de Gaulle’s closest advisors noted that he ‘must constantly be reminded that our main enemy is Germany. If he would follow his own inclination, it would be England.’

 An incendiary letter has now surfaced which was never sent from Churchill on the eve of the D-Day landings, the largest seaborne invasion in history, which began the liberation of France, and the rest of Western Europe, and laid the foundations of the Allied victory on the Western Front.

  In advance of the Normandy landings De Gaulle proved his usual intractable self about broadcasting a speech ahead of the landings and blocking the dispatch of French liaison officers to accompany the allied troops into France.

In the letter Churchill “the heinous character of [De Gaulle’s] action” and threatens to “make plain to the world that the personality of General de Gaulle is the sole and main obstacle between the great democracies of the west and the people of France”. In the event De Gaulle relented partially and the letter which would have ruined his political career was never sent.

 De Gaulle’s relations with Dwight Eisenhower, the US Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe were not much better.

  What is fascinating about the WW11 leaders was the pervasive influence of the Neptune Pluto conjunction of the last nineteenth century which has overtones of megalomaniac ambition as well as obsessive and often fantastical beliefs.

 De Gaulle, 22 November 1890 4am Lille, France, like Hitler, had Neptune Pluto conjunct in Gemini in the 8^th. In De Gaulle’s case this was opposition a final degree Scorpio Sun, making him controlling, obstinate to the nth degree and prone to flights of fancy. His 4^th house of roots and national pride had a high-vitality and stubborn Mars Jupiter in Aquarius trine his Neptune Pluto. He would be prone to fixed ideas which were well-nigh impossible to budge.  

 Not that Churchill was exactly easy, 30 November 1974 1.30am Woodstock, England, with Pluto in Taurus in his 8^th and Neptune in late Aries on the 8^th house cusp.

 His relationship chart with De Gaulle had Pluto in the 8^th opposition Saturn Sun and Neptune also in the 8^th conjunct the composite North Node – chained together and resenting it. Not much cooperation there.

 Dwight Eisenhower had Neptune Pluto in Gemini conjunct his Midheaven in a Mutable T Square opposition Venus square Saturn in Virgo. Joseph Stalin had Neptune and Pluto in Taurus, not conjunct but both opposition Mars in Scorpio which sat on the midpoint. So a resonant influence on his chart.  

D-Day launched with a Mars Pluto conjunction in Leo which maybe stirred in De Gaulle the historical antipathy between France and England which also has a stressed Mars Pluto square Sun in the relationship chart. De Gaulle then went on to put obstacles in the way of the UK joining the EEC.

What a strange mindset – ego getting in the way of common sense. It’s a miracle anything was resolved.

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A surprise guilty verdict on Trump after a chaotic trial and botched defence is heading for sentence on July 11^th. Any sentence, whether jail or fine, is likely to be deferred pending an appeal which could take up to a year. Legal experts are divided about whether a prison sentence is likely for a non-violent offender in his late seventies. Though some think the judge sees him as someone who has little respect for the law. A former federal prosecutor said “at sentencing, the judge always looks for signs of contrition and acceptance of responsibility and Trump will never do that.”

Assuming his birth time of 10.54 am is accurate then tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from May 29^th to 19 June, repeating late November to mid December and March 2025 is spot on for forcing a radical change of direction in his career and life.

  The key influence in the near future is tr Uranus square his Mars in Leo  from July 7^th to August 4^th, again in October and April/May 2025 – this will be disruptive, test his self-esteem to the limit and is likely to provoke a macho response. It can in older people accompany heart strain or an operation. At the very least it will be a significant test of nerve/struggle for survival. It falls across sentencing and also the GOP Convention on July 15/18th when the next candidate is chosen.

 His Progressed Moon will square his 12^th house Pluto just after the election with his Solar Arc Midheaven moving to conjunct his Pluto possibly in 2025. Both of those are emotionally charged and blocked.

  His upbeat, pushily-confident and lucky Jupiter/Pluto midpoint will be cut down throughout this October and December with tr Saturn dampening his enthusiasm.

 Tr Saturn square his 10^th house Uranus repeats from last month this August and again in February 2025 which will bring high tension, outbursts and plans knocked sideways.    

 Into 2025 sees Solar Arc Neptune bearing down on his Sagittarius Moon opposition Gemini Sun (and his Sun/Moon midpoint) as well as tr Saturn in hard aspect = undermining physically and mentally. His relationships including marriage will be discontented/separated – and he will be emotionally overwrought from Venus/Pluto, Mercury/Mars midpoint and SA Pluto square his Venus (which is peculiarly susceptible to any sense that he is not loved and respected.)

 So mainly not good news, bar the rogue factor of tr Jupiter moving across his Midheaven from early this month (May) till June 2025. This usually accompanies career or community success but Jupiter transits can be mild and on occasion well-nigh invisible, so impossible to say how it will play out. But for sure he has only a sliver of the Jupiterian bounty he had running into 2016.

 His Solar Return from June 2024 has Neptune and Saturn straddling the Midheaven and Sun, Venus in the hidden 12^th – so less than encouraging.

 Add On: Transiting Pluto is now on the cusp of his 6^th house of health and work, aiming to stay there for many years to come. It can sometimes start with health challenges or work ones for that matter.  Plus tr Saturn Neptune are on the cusp of his financial (business) 8^th and moving into directly forward in 2025 which could point up major cash problems and less support in the way of generous loans. He’ll feel deprived.

 His relationship with Melania, always a mystery, is being undermined this year with tr Neptune square the composite Venus but more rattled from mid 2025 as it moves into a turbulent year of two with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Sun. Which coincides next year with tr Saturn conjunct his Sun/Moon midpoint for a frosty separation.

See previous post: Trump on trial – not his shining moment 20th April 2024

Actress Nicole Kidman and country singer, songwriter and guitarist Keith Urban are one celebrity match which looked unlikely, hit a major road bump months into their marriage with his drug/drink relapse and did not look likely to stick it out. Yet 18 years later they have weathered the storms, had two children and seem content.

  Looking through the charts what is a recurring theme are hard Mars Saturn aspects. She was born 20 June 1967 3.15 pm Honolulu, Hawaii and has a 6^th house Saturn opposition a 12^th house Mars in Libra. Keith, 27 October 1967, has Mars in Capricorn square Saturn, with unreliable birth time.

 Their wedding 25 June 2006 happened on a Mars Saturn conjunction square Jupiter with Sun trine Jupiter so half stressful and half upbeat.

 The first child Sunday Rose, 7 July 2008 9.30 am Nashville, has a Sun Venus in Cancer opposition Jupiter in Capricorn and a Mars Saturn conjunction in Virgo on the Ascendant. Faith Kidman Urban, 28 December 2010, born through gestational surrogacy, has a Sun Pluto conjunct in Capricorn and Mars in Capricorn square Saturn in Libra plus a lucky, optimistic Jupiter Uranus in Pisces.

 Recurring themes in some families are not unusual but this one seems unusually precise.

 Nicole Kidman’s marriage to Tom Cruise, 24 December 1990, had a Mars trine Saturn; and their relationship chart had Saturn inconjunct Mars.

  Her relationship chart with Keith Urban has an affectionate composite Sun Venus in Virgo; a showbizzy Mars Neptune conjunction square Jupiter which could have its downside in ego clashes but those will be smoothed out by Jupiter.

  Her Sun/Moon midpoint, the marriage signifier, is conjunct her Uranus Pluto, so close partnerships will always occupy a disruptive place in her life as she alternates between possessiveness and the need to be free. A busy career will soak up a good deal of that energy.

 Mars Saturn, like most astrological aspects, has several facets – ranging from destructive to courageous. It is associated with endurance and discipline, the capacity to put up with difficult/dangerous situations without flinching, the tendency to become involved in situations requiring immense determination to overcome problems; and can be sado-masochistic.

Individual choices reflect the pattern set by the chart and down through the generations it goes. Though this one does seem marginally odd given it recurs with the children living a seemingly charmed existence.