George Clooney and Julia Roberts have hooked up for a feel-good movie to which reviewers have given a modulated welcome. Audiences desperate for a light-hearted break from woes and worries may lap it up when it goes on release in next month.

‘The single greatest joy of Ticket to Paradise comes from the unwavering belief that a happy future still is possible.’

‘If you’re in the mood for a great escape, you’ve basically just won the lottery.’

‘While it has little to do with the real world, it’s a seductive slice of make-believe.’

   Though it would have to be said that Clooney, 6 May 1961 2.58am Lexington Manor, KY, is not in the best of times with the Eclipses rattling his Taurus Sun and an emotionally conflicted tr Pluto conjunct his Capricorn Moon earlier this year and again in December; with several setbacks and calamities mid October through till early 2023 from Mars midpoints. Followed by a discouraging slog through 2023/24 from tr Pluto conjunct his Saturn. Tr Uranus is also upending his Sun Mercury in 2023 and then his Progressed Mars is conjunct his Pluto by 2024 for a dead-halt. He will have moments of luck and cheer in January 2023 and more money coming his way but it’ll be 2025 and on before he heaves a sigh of relief and gets his mojo back.  

  Julia Roberts, 28 October 1967 12.16 am Atlanta, GA, is a private 4^th house Sun Scorpio with her Sun on one leg of a spine-straightening Yod, sextile Jupiter in Virgo inconjunct Saturn. Her Saturn is also in a disciplined, hard-edged square to workaholic Mars in Capricorn in her 6^th house. She’s no slouch and not a lady to mess with.  The October Scorpio Solar Eclipse will conjunct her Sun which will find her at a crossroads and having to make significant changes to her life. Jupiter moving cross her Midheaven from March 2023 until May 2024 will see her on a wave of success. Though she’s also got a few humps and bumps through 2023/24; and like Clooney it’ll be 2025 when she gets into full steam ahead gear.

  They make a good working pair with his Jupiter, Moon and Saturn falling in her 7^th and his energising Mars falling on her Ascendant. Her Sun and Mercury fall in his 8^th for a deep-connection conjunct his filmic Neptune with her ambitious Mars sits in his career 10^th. Best of all her Jupiter is conjunct his Pluto for a power-couple dynamic.

  Their relationship chart has a composite optimistic Moon, Jupiter, Neptune which will keep them buoyant; a hard-working Saturn in the 10th and a charming Venus in the 1^st to burnish their image as an amiable couple.

The New  York Times has been evoking squeals of outrage for its provocatively unsympathetic coverage of the Queen’s death, blaming her for the sins of Empire. Within hours after her death the NY Times kicked off its coverage with a Harvard academic saying readers should not ‘romanticise her era’  because the Queen ‘helped obscure a bloody history of de-colonisation whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged’.

 Another US academic in a tweet said ‘the chief monarch of a thieving, raping genocidal empire is finally dying. May her pain be excruciating.’ And managed to blame the Queen for the post-independence Nigerian civil war.

  It would have to be said that the immediate aftermath of a notable death is always a tricky affair. After Ted Kennedy died and the USA was having a ‘Diana’ moment of profound respect, I pulled the ceiling down on my head by suggesting that the Chappaquiddick affair and the Mary Jo Kopechne death hardly merited the adulation. Equally I remember David Starkey, the historian, valiantly standing at the gates of Buckingham Palace in the hours after Diana’s death making himself unpopular by suggesting she had damaged the monarchy and was hustled off. Even after 9/11 there was disquiet in the US that not everyone in the UK shared their profound grief and insisted on raising questions about the downside of US Middle East policy.

  Getting the balance right of respect-for-the-dead versus the truth-of-their-life always wobbles in the early days. Robert Maxwell was lauded to the heavens for 24 hours until it started to creep out that he had been a corrupt monster.

  What intrigues me is the left-wing critics obsession with the Empire which died sixty/seventy years ago, whose atrocities are well publicised in the UK and is given almost no thought by 95% of the UK population, who now accept the UK’s diminished status in the world.  The NY Times aired another academic when Liz Truss became Prime Minister, suggesting she was ‘still in thrall to the Empire’.

   They are living in the same time warp as the Iranians who still treat the UK as ‘the Great Satan’ who caused them grief decades back.

  This isn’t too astrological but I was delighted to find a piece in a Nigerian journalistic website giving a considered response to the ‘painful death’ tweeter: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/opinion/554416-uju-anya-and-the-dangers-of-deliberate-half-education-by-tope-fasua.html

‘The history of the world could as well be written as the history of plunders, from one society to another. Every nation on earth was formed by a group of oppressors, plunderers, enslavers, conquerors, whether from within or without. Before the British – led by the English monarchy – made their foray into the furthest limits of the earth, they too had been raped and plundered by the Romans, the Scandinavians (Huns), the Saxons, the Normans (Normandy, France), and a few more.’

‘The persecuted and oppressed British, who fled the monarchy to the New World or today’s United States of America, what did they do to the owners of the land there? Total decimation, using a combination of diseases and guns. Today, aboriginal Americans are in some places herded into colonies still. They were wiped out with small-pox and bullets for trying to protect their land and sovereignty. It is perhaps the worst ever carnage perpetuated in all of humanity. If [US critics] feels so bad about the English monarchy, their skin should crawl for earning salaries and living in the USA. The USA genocide was carried out mainly by the ‘oppressed’ from Britain.’

  The NY Times also suggested, shock horror, that the funeral would be paid for by the taxpayer – which appears to amount to about five pence a head. And the cost of the Royals annually is less than a quarter of the amount that Americans pay for their President to be transported around the world in Air Force One. And a tenth of the £1.2 billion they pay for ‘operations’ at the White House. It’s not that there are not legitimate questions to be asked about Royal finances, opaqueness over wills, inheritance tax etc but the fixation on the UK’s slide towards bankruptcy while the Royals apparently do a Marie Antoinette is bizarre.

   To drag a miniscule amount of astrology in – the New York Times, 18 September 1851, and the present Editor Joseph Khan,  19 August 1964, both have Mars in Cancer which sits conjunct the UK Midheaven and in opposition to the Capricorn Sun – which is a competitive interface, argumentative and abrasive. In Khan’s case doubly so since his Mars is pumped up to full passion by Venus close by. As a Wall Street Journal reporter in 1997 he wrote a flattering and complimentary pro-Chinese piece about the handover. There is some suspicion he is trying to drum up trade in that part of the world by beating down on the ‘Great Satan’ of the UK which disappeared before he was born.

  The NY Times, labouring as most media with falling circulation, in its case especially after Trump’s exit, is facing substantial problems in the near future. Tr Neptune is undermining the Virgo Sun this year on and off till early 2024, not good for morale or finances. The Solar Arc Saturn is in a discouraging, enthusiasm-squashing conjunction to the Jupiter. Then from March 2023 with Pluto’s entry into Aquarius there follows a monumentally tough four years as tr Pluto squares Pluto, then Saturn and Uranus – pulling painfully away from the past and into a period of intense turmoil and forced change.   

Oceanic Neptune, lord of the boundaryless, ever-changing seas, in hard aspect to the sensitive Moon goes along with a dreamy, imaginative, idealistic and devoted temperament. A yearning for a blissful, seamless connection in relationships induces a tendency to see the best in others and ignore distressing or potentially hurtful realities. Love through a soft-focus lens.

  The characteristic of airbrushing out faults paradoxically goes hand in hand with an openness to undercurrents in the atmosphere and an unwitting psychic ability to tune into and absorb others’ thoughts and feelings – often with an inability to distinguish what is ‘them’ and what is personal. Learning discernment – sorting out fact from fantasy and even more crucially developing healthy boundaries is vital to maintain autonomy and independence.

  Where it stems from is a mother who is unable to maintain her own boundaries so the child does not learn to separate ‘me from thee’ as it develops. In the womb and just after, mother and child are one. But part of the process of healthy development is to build a separate identity in slow stages as the baby turns into a toddler and then a child, pulling away from the initial stage of ecstatic oneness. Or not so ecstatic if the emerging baby is subject to the storms and hurricane’s of mother’s mood swings.

  The Moon Neptune type is denied the chance of building robust emotional defences and so is at risk of being overwhelmed by outside influences and other people’s woes and concerns. They lack a tough emotional skin and get easily upset if criticised or rejected. Their need is unconditional love, in giving and receiving, yet they often hold back from commitment since they lack trust in their own judgement and in the less-than-divine partners they come across. Some individuals shut down emotional connections altogether since the world and other people are felt as too threatening.

  Others can give themselves away in a close relationship – dissolving their identity is the price they pay for merging and identifying with their partner and in process they can allow themselves to become victimized.

  While their hypersensitivity does have a serious downside of dependency, self-pity, irresponsibility, escapism, irrational fears and an avoidance of anything unpleasant it also goes along with an intuitive talent for sensing other’s pain which handled well can be of great help.

  Picking famous examples of Moon Neptune is tricky since it is a nebulous trait and one which can have vastly differing outcomes. But one thing jumped out which were individuals who were famous for being in a twosome – Queen Consort Camilla, Brigitte Macron, Yoko Ono – all strong women but ones who are irrevocably tied to a partner. Also Will Smith and Kanye West who always spring to mind attached to AN other.

  Escapist drug problems are another strand with Amy Winehouse, Robert Downey Jnr and the late River Phoenix, who had a hippie Children of God cult mother.

  And the forlorn Marilyn Monroe, who was constantly seeking a stable mother having grown up fostered out and her mother ultimately being diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Not all of which can be attributed to her Moon opposition Neptune but it would play a part.

  Off-the-Richter scale of the negative end of the Neptunian spectrum, which does seem wider than most of the outer planets, is John Gacy, the American serial killer and sex offender who raped, tortured, and murdered at least 33 young men and boys. He regularly performed at children’s hospitals as “Pogo the Clown” and became known as the Killer Clown.

  He had a Sun Moon Pisces conjunction opposition Neptune. When astrologers were later given his chart as a test without his name attached, they described him as the soul of compassion and goodness. Which just goes to show how Neptune has even managed to airbrush its own reputation. It can be cosmically chilling and unempathic – so spaced out it doesn’t relate to humanness at all.  

   Gacy was close to his mother and two sisters, but endured a difficult relationship with his father, a physically abusive alcoholic who belittled him, calling him “dumb and stupid” and comparing him unfavorably with his sisters.  

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s bombastic right-wing president, is eight percentage points behind in the polls for the October 2 election to Luiz Lula da Silva and swearing he’ll go if he loses despite having previously indicated he wouldn’t admit defeat. Whatever he says, there are fears of a constitutional crisis since he’s likely to react badly if he doesn’t win. If neither candidate receives more than 50 per cent of the vote, a run-off will be held on October 30.

  His chart hints at dire setbacks with a bad-tempered response. His unpleasant Mars in Taurus opposition Saturn square Venus opposition Pluto is being rattled every which way this year and early next by tr Saturn which is exactly conjunct the Venus through this month – a hint of his unloved status. Worse tr Uranus is hammering away at his Mars/Saturn midpoint now till mid October which is catastrophic and moving on to a ‘shocking’ conjunction to his Mars in November  – with more in 2023. Plus an undermining tr Neptune opposition his Saturn/Uranus midpoint over the second run off, if it gets to that which is not cheerful.

  His opponent Lula, jailed in 2018 for corruption and in prison for eighteen months before the charges were annulled, was born 27 October 1945 and has his Scorpio Sun close to the October Solar Eclipse which does indicate a significant turning point for him.  His Solar Arc Mars is approaching a conjunction to his Jupiter which will bring a surge of confidence though it is followed almost immediately by a dampening Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Jupiter so if he gets in there will be a short honeymoon before problems arise.  His Solar Arc Jupiter is conjunct his South Node which could indicate over confidence and he’ll get lucky breaks in December. His chart isn’t showing unalloyed success but is certainly in better shape than Bolsonara’s.

 The Brazil 7 September 1822 4.08 pm Piranga chart is hinting at a change of direction with tr Uranus conjunct the IC and moving into the 4^th (start time being accurate) late this year and into 2023. There’s no real indication of a major outbreak of public unrest.

Princess Anne transformed from a talented equestrian with a belligerent approach to the media into an industrious, under-stated Royal with a punishing workload of annual appointments. She travels frequently abroad for Save the Children fund which earned her a Nobel nomination. Her distaste with the fairytale princess role saw her dispense with the early glamourised photographs to adopt a more functional, less eye-catching appearance. And despite her obvious admiration and affection for the Queen, she kept her children out of the Royal carnival by insisting they did not have titles.

 Although she was always thought of as her father’s favourite she became the Queen’s rock after the Buckingham Palace break in and more recently through the Queen’s decline and spent the last 24 hours hours with her. She stalwartly accompanied her mother’s coffin from Balmoral to Edinburgh and thence to London, all in the public gaze, which took resilience and all of her stiff upper lip training, though even she looked teary eyed.   

   Born 15 August 1950 at 11.50am, she has an authoritative, authoritarian and emotionally battened down and private chart. Her Leo Sun conjunct Pluto in her 10^th suits her for a public role in which she can exert considerable influence.  Her dutiful Virgo Moon is conjunct Saturn and Mercury, which would have tied her into her mother with a strong sense of obligation. She also has a healing and immensely self-protective Water Grand Trine of a 1^st house Mars in Scorpio trine Uranus in the far-travelled 9th trine Jupiter in her 5^th house of children and sport.

  Her Mars trine Uranus would give her a liking for speed and high-risk situations and a short fuse. Her Pluto will make her a control-freak and not always easy in relationships.

   She has had a lively romantic life not all of which ended up in the media, with two marriages and has a close relationship with her two children. Her daughter Zara and her husband now live close by on the Gatcombe Estate as did Peter Philips – both children have a Pluto in hard aspect to their Moon.

  Princess Anne is much further down the line of succession than she should be since the 2013 law change which put women on an equal footing to male Royals was not made retrospective.

  If Charles has any sense he’ll lean on her and reorganise the Counsellors of State who can represent the monarch on official duties to include her. At present they include the Duke of York and Sussex (who have to go promptly) and – for reasons beyond understanding – Princess Beatrice.

  Both the Queen’s Taurus Sun and Charles’ Taurus Moon fall in Princess Anne’s 7^th house bringing a strong sense of partnership. Though in both cases they oppose Anne’s Mars – so there would be robust discussions at times. What helped her relationship with her mother was an affectionate Venus and enthusiastically-supportive Jupiter in their relationship chart. With Charles she’ll appreciate space but there’ll be a sense of mutual support and duty as well.

  Anne is undoubtedly in one of the worst times of her life having lost her father in April 2021 and now her mother. Tr Uranus was trine her Moon in the aftermath of her father’s death and is trine her Uranus Mercury as her mother dies. More punishingly her Solar Arc Sun is conjunct her Mars at the moment for a major shock and that is intensifying over the next few months. The October Solar Eclipse will conjunct her Mars with a strong hint that she needs to slow down in the months thereafter and not keep running around constantly. She’s likely to be argumentative as well.

Her Solar Arc Uranus is also conjunct her Mercury and Saturn for a considerable jolt, again echoing down the next few months. Plus a disruptive and upending tr Uranus square her Pluto picking up from mid October along with a separating tr Saturn opposition her Sun, extending into early 2023.  So the immediate future will test even her fortitude. By 2024 tr Pluto will square her Mars as it is poised to move into her 4^th house of family and roots so her challenges will not be receding for a while.   

Film director Jean-Luc Godard, giant of the French New Wave, has died at 91 “peacefully at home” in Switzerland of assisted suicide. Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “We’ve lost a national treasure, the eye of a genius”. Critic Peter Bradshaw called him ‘ a genius who tore up rule book without troubling to read it.’ His Nouvelle Vague movies of the late 1950s and 60s – Breathless, the Little Soldier, A Woman is a Woman – revolutionised cinema; although his politicised films and unbending radicalism did go out of fashion. He had made an unlikely career revival in recent years.

  He was born 3 December 1930 2am Paris, France, with a chart marked out for success and trailblazing.  His communicative 3^rd house Sagittarius Sun was in a square to filmic Neptune and more significantly in a super-confident, attention-demanding Fire Grand Trine to Mars in flamboyant Leo trine a reforming, rebellious Uranus in Aries.  His breaking-the-old-mould Uranus was further emphasised being square Saturn in Capricorn opposition his Midheaven and widely opposition a triumphant, self-assured Jupiter Pluto in Cancer in his 10^th.

  He married two of his leading ladies through the marriages didn’t last which was not surprising given his 7^th house Uranus and North Node.

His Harmonic charts conveyed his talent and stature as clearly as his natal chart with strong creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonic as well as break-through genius 13H. And his leaving-a-legacy 17H and global star 22H were also notable.

Hopes that the invasion of Ukraine could be at a turning point as a Ukrainian counteroffensive sent Russian forces into a hasty retreat with as much 6,000 sq km of territory “de-occupied” are being treated cautiously. “Certainly it’s a military setback. I don’t know if I could call it a major strategic loss at this point,” a U.S. official said. Almost a fifth of Ukraine is still occupied.   

   Rather than accept defeat, Putin may try to escalate. Even if he is deposed he may be replaced by a hardline nationalist, pushing for a full scale military conscription which hasn’t happened yet.  It is estimated Russia has sent a quarter of a million troops to Ukraine, with an estimated 75,000 killed or wounded. By contrast, Ukraine now claims total armed forces of 1mn with more modern equipment.

 Best estimates from military analysts are that the heavy fighting is likely to continue and most likely the two sides will still be facing off come the European spring.

  The invasion declaration was made on 23 February 2022 at 9pm in Moscow which puts an unrealistic and impractical Neptune in the 6th and a ruthless though deeply frustrating Mars Pluto in the 4^th; plus an over-hopeful Sagittarius Moon. Pluto is opposition Procyon, which can bring reputations crashing down; and the North Node is conjunct the destructive Fixed star Algol.

  There’s nothing much indicating an end to the violence – tr Uranus is square the Saturn exactly now at 18 degrees Aquarius and the transiting North Node will conjunct the 8^th house Uranus over this New Year. But whether either of those will see a capitulation and total retreat is questionable.

  Both the Ukraine 1918 and 1991 charts appear to be pointing to 2024 as their year of more cheer. The 22 January 1918 9.54am Kharkov chart is surging ahead in 2024 with tr Pluto trine the Jupiter, conjunct the Sun and trine Mars – so boosting the Air Grand Trine and heading (hopefully) for reconstruction. 2023 looks jarring.

 The 24 August 1991 2.31pm Kyiv chart is having to cope with an undermining tr Neptune opposition the Mars now until early 2024; with a turn-around tr Uranus opposition the Pluto from mid this October, on and off into 2023. What looks hopeful and lucky is tr Uranus square the Jupiter in 2024.

 Putin’s 4^th Term chart, 7 May 2018 11.05 am Moscow, which has the same brutal Mars Pluto in Capricorn are the Invasion chart, is grinding towards a dead halt from Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the Mars in 2023; and a destabilising tr Pluto square the Uranus from February 2023 on and off till late 2024 which may see him pushed off his perch. He’ll still have some undeserved luck coming his way with tr Uranus opposing his Jupiter over coming months. But longer term he’s a goner whether through ill-health or a coup.

See previous post July 12 2022

Camilla has stepped up stoically to the role of Queen Consort she never sought but Charles regarded as non-negotiable. In the years since their marriage she has calmed him down and been an indispensable and unflustered support as well as carving out a respected public role for herself.

 She was born 17 July 1947 7.10am (biography) in London into an upper class army/business family and grew up horse mad. She had a brief fling with Charles in the early 1970s but he wouldn’t commit. She married Andrew Parker Bowles, an army officer who had professional connections to the Royal Family and romanced Princess Anne. He was an attractive womaniser, which eventually led to a fairly separated domestic life with Camilla. She took up with Charles again when his marriage to Diana flagged, following in the footsteps of her maternal great grandmother Alice Keppel who was King Edward V11’s mistress for many years.

 She has a 12^th house Cancer Sun Mercury, Venus, Moon in Cancer also in the 12^th with Saturn Pluto in Leo in her 1^st so is essentially private – and adept at putting on impassive face. Her Sun is trine a 4^th house Jupiter in Scorpio, a hint of her own happy childhood family; and she has Mars and Uranus in her friendly 11^th house. If her birth time is accurate she is primarily an independent-minded individual, happy to be left to her own devices and a lover of solitary pleasures – reading, dog walking, gardening. After her marriage to Charles she found living at Highgrove suffocating and set up her own separate space at her previous family home where her children could visit.

  What comes across from her chart is strength and maternal compassion. Her concern for domestic violence victims will come from her Cancer-heavy 12^th house and her Mars sextile Saturn Pluto making her aware of the dark side of life.

  The pressure is undoubtedly on as her Solar Arc Saturn Pluto are squaring her Sun, picking up last year and running on into early 2024 – as the full impact of her new role has landed on her. Her Solar Arc Midheaven is also conjunct her Uranus around now and her Solar Arc Venus Moon are also square her Uranus. So immense and sudden changes emotionally and in her direction in life. What will keep her buoyed up is tr Uranus opposition her Jupiter which comes back through this October for a few weeks and again in early 2023 which will bring relief from tension. And both tr Jupiter and her Progressed Moon will be crossing her Midheaven from next spring onwards – which might point to the coronation. With success and appreciation through the two years after that.  Though her Solar Arc Sun conjunct her Neptune in 2024 will bring a few sagging moments.

      Her Jupiter midpoints will keep her confidence and enthusiasm afloat in 2023/24/25 with new initiatives and lucky opportunities.

  What helps cement her relationship with Charles is her Jupiter in Scorpio conjunct his Sun bringing him confidence and boosting his self-esteem from her own experience of a happy childhood which was comparatively normal in contrast to his.  

  It’s not all perfect bliss by any manner of means and their relationship chart has a sparky, argumentative composite Sun opposition Mars square Uranus – so they need a set up where both operate independently and have elbow room. There’s also a good deal of enthusiasm and positive feelings from a composite Moon opposition Jupiter square Mercury.

  Her 12^th house planets will make her good at taking a step backwards and not allowing her ego to get embroiled in arguments.

  Their relationship is under confusing Neptunian hard aspects at the moment and through the next two years with tr Neptune opposition the composite Sun and square Uranus; with jolts and jangles from tr Uranus upending the Pluto across this New Year and squaring the Saturn Venus over the next two years as they make the difficult transition with changes of residence and roles and a heavy schedule ahead. Plus tr Saturn in 2023/2024 impacting on the composite Moon, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury etc.

  [Mind you neither are exactly young and he, in particular, has embarked or been designated by his late mother to undertake a gruelling set of duties on her death – on parade in Balmoral, Edinburgh, giving speeches in London, off to Northern Ireland, at a time most people would take a week off work and collapse into a bottle of whisky. Just mind blowing watching the senior Royals putting themselves on parade.]

  What might be a worry ahead is the ever truculent Harry, the bee in his bonnet about his mother needling him into more side swipes at Camilla. Hs relationship chart with her is explosive at the best of times; and will be undermined in 2023 and rattled in 2024. Mind you none of the other Royals look too pleased with him either. So the funeral truce may not hold.

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Uranus, the sky god and trickster planet, constantly seeking excitement, adventure and perpetual change sits at cross purposes to the Moon which yearns for stability, security, sameness and protection. Babies appreciate routine, not a roller coaster ride. Uranus is against the biology, of the mind not the body.

  Moon Uranus types tend to have had an unusual, unstable or broken domestic and family life growing up, sometimes with frequent changes of residence. For some their mother neglected them out of boredom with child-raising; or were odd, absent, or emotionally detached. As a result the child learns to shut off their emotions and as a consequence develops a rebellious and contrarian approach.

 The positive outcome is a strong intuition, original imagination and resourcefulness but it tends to go alongside erratic emotional impulses, sudden changes of mood and a tendency towards odd or eccentric, strongly independent behaviour. Settling to long-term emotional commitments isn’t easy. Boredom can be a problem, since there’s a need for constant excitement and also a difficulty with compromise.   Uranus demands freedom of emotional expression and kicks against any attempts by others to restrict or manipulate feelings.

 The classic Moon Uranus is Princess Diana whose mother Frances Shand Kyd was a bolter and left her children and Diana when she was six. Diana had an Aquarius Moon opposition Uranus and found difficulty settling to a long term relationship.

Olivia Newton-John, a Moon Uranus conjunction, was uprooted at five years old to move to  Australia and had a string of adult relationships.

 Actress Jodie Foster never knew her father since the parental marriage split before she was born and she was brought up by her mother and her female partner. She has a Moon Uranus Pluto conjunction.

Amanda Knox, tried and found innocent ultimately of the murder of Meredith Kercher, was the product of a broken home and brought up for a while by a resourceful single mother. She has a Moon conjunct Uranus and Saturn. Her mother said she had ‘always been a unique girl. A lot of kids want to conform, but she was always just who she is, and never worried about it.” Her odd, unempathic reaction at Meredith’s death was what first aroused police suspicion.

Actor Stephen Fry, born 1957, with a Moon Uranus conjunction, came from an émigré Jewish family who lost many close relatives in the Holocaust with the trauma filtering down to him.  

 Gordon Ramsay, the Scottish chef, a Moon Uranus Pluto conjunction in the 4^th opposition Saturn,  described his early life as “hopelessly itinerant” with his family moving constantly owing to the failures of his father, an occasionally violent alcoholic. The Moon rules childhood as well as mother.

David Icke, the conspiracy theorist, a Moon Uranus conjunction, moved aged three to a council estate. “To say we were skint,” he wrote, “is like saying it is a little chilly at the North Pole.” He recalls having to hide under a window or chair when the councilman came for the rent.

Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was born in a Home for Unwed Mothers and brought up by his grandparents as theirs. Admittedly in addition to being a Moon opposition Uranus, his Moon was conjunct Mars and trine Saturn and Pluto so his sadism can’t be blamed on Uranus.

  Likewise Harvey Weinstein had a Moon opposition Uranus but his Moon was also square Saturn Neptune and he had a control-freak mother Pluto Midheaven – so a complicated, overbearing mother who did little to nurture his sense of empathy for other human beings, including women. He bullied men and predated on women.  

  I hesitate to be autobiographical but I have a Moon Uranus conjunction – in the 9^th which helps the astrological and rebellious bent. No one tells me what to believe or think. It also sent me to live abroad. My mother died when I was five, then there was a housekeeper to whom I was close who lasted two years, then another one, then a career-focused stepmother who was not a good fit with me. I lived in two childhood homes – and have lived in 12 different houses by my reckoning since then. In contrast to my sister who lives in the house she was married in over fifty year ago – and she doesn’t have strong Moon Uranus contacts.

  Like most planets there are pluses and minuses – Uranus gave me an inquiring and defiant mindset, a gypsy restlessness, an openness to change and an ability to cope in tricky circumstances. Mellowing age has made it easier to come to terms with the downside and accept the reality of not being able to have it all. Years ago in California doing a workshop exercise about getting rooted I was gloomy about never quite belonging.  Later one of the others in the group said they envied me so much because I was a free spirit – which made me laugh. Everything comes with a price tag attached. A Uranian mother whether through temperament or circumstance imbues independence in the child – which can be a rare gift.