Marjorie

King Salman, the 80 year-old monarch of Saudi Arabia, is reportedly suffering from pre-dementia or another form of brain damage, though, as ever, in the deeply secretive court and country, it is difficult to get accurate details.

He took over the throne on the death from pneumonia of his half-brother, the 90 year-old King Abdullah, at 1 am on 23 January 2015. This gives a rather flashy Jupiter in Leo on the MC, but more pointedly a muddled 4^th house Moon Neptune Mars in Pisces square Saturn. Subsequent events have made it clear how much game-playing is going on within the family, more so even than usual. The impetuous young Deputy Crown Prince bin Salman is evidently at odds with the steadier Crown Prince bin Nayef, though there were reports that bin Nayef was also ill – which has been hotly denied.

On King Salman’s reign chart, the Solar Arc Moon and Neptune are moving to conjunct the Mars exactly in 4 months and 8 months’ time respectively. Plus the late Feb 2017 Solar Eclipse in Pisces will conjunct that Moon Neptune Mars – so it will become even more confusing and undermining at an internal family level.

King Salman, 31 December 1935, does have tr Uranus square his Pluto from mid 2017 which could be destabilising for someone his age and in frail health.

The kingdom is suffering from a severe economic crisis with plummeting oil prices, is slashing public spending to plug the hole in its deficit and has issued an international bond for the first time to raise money. Plus Deputy Crown Prince bin Salman has become embroiled in an expensive and destructive, no-exit war in Yemen as well as in Syria. BND, the German intelligence agency, recently published a remarkable memo talking about “an impulsive policy of intervention”. It portrayed bin Salman as a political gambler who is destabilising the Arab world through proxy wars.

There’s certainly no love lost between the Crown Prince bin Nayef, 30 Aug 1959, and his Deputy bin Salman, 31 Aug 1985.

The elder has his Sun Pluto in Virgo conjunct the younger’s Virgo Sun. But bin Salman has an ultra-determined Pluto opposition North Node in Taurus square Jupiter in Aquarius, so he’s a man on a mission from which he won’t easily be diverted. Their relationship chart has an argumentative, suspicious, bad-tempered composite Sun Mars square Neptune Saturn – with the dislike being further exacerbated by tr Neptune over the next fifteen months. And indeed looks as if it is undergoing an upheaval at the moment with tr Pluto square the composite Uranus till late this month.

Saudi Arabia is rapidly heading towards tr Pluto conjunct its Saturn in Capricorn from mid March 2017 onwards for two years which is usually a sign of hardship and economic cutbacks. There’ll be some uplift from tr Uranus square Jupiter (and the Sun) in April and December/January 2018. But it’s going to be unaccustomed deprivation for a country which has always kept the peace by doling money and benefits out lavishly to its citizens. There’s also a raft of Saturn transits hitting the SArabia Pluto and Uranus before this year end and then the Moon from March to early May and again late November which could be a time of national mourning; as well as hitting on its Neptune later in 2017. So a very uncertain time.

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Now that actress Meghan Markle seems to be a running possibility for Prince Harry (maybe) and not just a mirage in celebrity websites’ fondest hopes, it seemed worth a second look – if only to get away from political disasters on all sides.

Born 4 Aug 1981 Los Angeles, she’s an entertaining Sun Mercury in Leo; with an idealistic Jupiter Saturn (Moon) in Libra square Mars in excitable Cancer – so she’ll veer between high enthusiasm and the opposite fairly frequently. She’s also got Venus in Virgo which is picking up the tr Neptune opposition from April next year, running off and on till late 2018. This looks disappointing where love and romance are concerned. She’s also got a high-hopes ( and false happiness) tr Neptune opposition her Sun/Jupiter till January 2017 and opposition her Sun/Saturn at the same time – so she’ll be very up and down. Then has a run of confused, disruptive and very unsettled transits to midpoints through 2017. So she won’t find being in the spotlight of publicity surrounding a Royal romance as much fun as she might have expected.

‘Sources’ (usually unreliable) say she’s already met Prince Charles – that relationship looks argumentative with a composite Sun Mars; and communication-blocked with Saturn Pluto conjunct Mercury; and is sagging somewhat through 2017.

HM Queen looks half pleased and half horrified; with a composite Sun Venus opposition Jupiter as well as an awkward Mars opposition Saturn square Uranus.

Prince William looks quite enamoured of her with a composite Sun Venus square Jupiter Pluto; but won’t put up with any upstaging.

Kate Middleton looks less enchanted and would attempt to keep the upper hand as well as keeping her distance.

Prince Harry does have tr Uranus square his Sun/Moon midpoint from late February next year which can suggest separations in close relationships – or at least a major turnaround in his hopes and expectations of what he wants.

I do feel sorry for him having to play it all out in the spotlight and indeed having to find a partner who could survive that gilded cage.

The High Court judgement that Westminster must vote on whether the Government can trigger formal Article 50 notification of Brexit has put the cat amongst the pigeons. Though for all the yowling, it seems not unreasonable that in a parliamentary democracy, elected members should have their say and not be sidelined.

Theresa May does look very uptight at the moment with tr Saturn just off the square to her singleton Mars, now exactly square her intense Mercury/Pluto midpoint, then within a few days it will conjunct her Mars/Jupiter further dampening her enthusiasm. Tr Saturn then wends across a series of depressing squares to her Sun/Venus, Jupiter and her Sun/Pluto through this month into December.

It will go to a Supreme Court appeal which is likely to be December at the earliest.

She looks in full crisis mode next February with tr Pluto square her Sun/Neptune and tr Uranus square her Mars/Saturn – surrounded by confusion and finding that one deception or delusion is unravelling; and under great nervous pressure due to an unexpected shock. It needn’t all be down to Brexit negotiations. Her Term chart also looks seriously rattled at the same time.

Possibilities are an extended debate which would drag the uncertainty out further or an early election to give her a more workable majority. In either case she will have to reveal her Brexit plans which she has been noticeably reluctant to do to date – if they exist.

Will he or won’t he go? Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s President failed to stop publication of a report which pointed to evidence of possible corruption at the top level of his government. Disapproval of his seven years in office which has been marked by scandal and economic stagnation is being openly voiced by big business, major unions and even senior members of the ANC. The Nelson Mandela Foundation talked about the “wheels coming off” with him at the helm. It is reckoned that the rand might lift by 15% were he to go before 2019.

His 2^nd Term chart, 24 May 2014 11.35am Pretoria, is at its most precarious at the moment with the disruptive tr Pluto square Uranus and the even more destabilising Solar Arc Pluto closing the square to Uranus to exact. But that chart has a bullishly pushy Pluto opposition Jupiter (= rules don’t apply to me) so he could brass-neck it out.

His own personal chart, 12 April 1942, has a discouraging and confidence-dampening tr Saturn opposition his Jupiter Mars in late November and late December, followed by a jolting tr Uranus conjunct his Sun in February 2017 – so his wobbles will continue. Though he’s also got tr Pluto trine his Sun/Jupiter in 2017/18 which looks ominously confident.

Shades of Ivanka Trump. I’d forgotten that Chelsea Clinton had also acquired a father-in-law who did federal time for financial crimes. Her husband Marc Mezvinsky’s father embezzled more than $10 million dollars from people via a Ponzi scheme and a Nigerian email scam and ended up doing five years inside.

The two Chelsea Clinton babies – Charlotte 26 Sep 2014 7.03 pm New York, and Aidan 18 June 2016 7.41 am New York – don’t have the easiest of charts. Both admittedly have charming Sun Venus conjunctions which suggests an affectionate tie to their father. But their Moon and 10th house aspects suggest a more confused and tricky relationship with their mother. Charlotte has a Scorpio Moon trine Neptune, sextiling onto a 10^th house Pluto – so a mother who is both overly controlling and inaccessible, evasive or needs support. Aidan has a Moon Saturn opposition Mercury square Neptune opposition Jupiter and a 10^th house Uranus – so an over-hardworking mother, cool, rigid but also nervy and confused; and unpredictable, erratic and not always there.

Charlotte has Saturn and Mars both in the 8^th – so strong grandparental influence of a not productive variety.

The composite charts between Chelsea and both children are mainly challenging, with some uplift from Jupiter. With Charlotte, there’s a composite Sun trine Jupiter, sextiling on to a hard-edged Mars Saturn conjunction which is also square Neptune.

With Aidan, there’s a composite Sun trine Jupiter, inconjunct Pluto, opposition Saturn and square Neptune Uranus; with Moon Mars trine Uranus (Neptune) sextile Pluto – that’s a real guddle of a little positive and quite a lot of negative. I’d doubt if either of the children get much me-time. In neither case are the composite Venuses much aspected or integrated and the composite Moons aren’t great either, especially in Aidan’s case. So there’s a feeling disconnect.

Their father Marc, 15 Dec 1977, was a Goldman Sachs investment banker who co-founded his own hedge fund which now appears to be failing badly, having lost 90% of its value on an ill-timed bet on Greek economic recovery. How stupid was that??

Yet another book on Hillary Clinton by Ed Stein (Guilty as Sin) has dropped nuggets of gossip about the tangled relationships between Hillary, daughter Chelsea and aide Huma Abedin.

According to Stein, Chelsea dislikes Huma and Hillary is rarely warm towards Chelsea except in public. The relationship chart between Chelsea and ‘second daughter’ Huma is certainly rippling with dislike from a composite Mars Saturn; an uncompromising Sun opposition Uranus; and a game-playing for the upper hand Jupiter square Pluto. So that sounds accurate.

Chelsea, whose 9^th house Moon is unaspected apart from an awkward quincunx to her Pisces Sun, wouldn’t get much nurturing from either parent frankly. Her relationship chart with her mother has a composite Sun trine Saturn Uranus, so work first and fairly separated and erratic; and a gentler Moon trine Venus. But the composite Moon is also square Saturn (Uranus) – so not exactly overflowing with maternal feelings. Chelsea’s relationship with her father is just as sticky with a composite Sun square Saturn Uranus; and an aggravating, frustrating Mars Pluto sextile Venus – so it’ll blow very hot and cold between them.

Chelsea’s personal chart has tr Pluto square her Mars/Uranus and Jupiter/Uranus midpoints now and through till early December which is a mix of extreme pressure and nervous tension as well as great relief and good luck. But at the same time tr Neptune is opposition her Saturn/MC and square her Uranus/Neptune till January which is undermined and stressed. 2017 has some very disconcerting and discouraging Neptune transits to three of her Saturn midpoints.

Huma Abedin is having a panicky, failure-ridden 2017 with tr Neptune opposition her Mars which suggests this email scandal may not lie down and die quietly, given that she gave evidence she handed everything over months ago. She does look relieved late this month through till January but thereafter – not good. And her relationship with Hillary is certainly under sagging and separating stars ahead.

Oddly enough Huma’s Mars in Virgo is conjunct her former husband Anthony Weiner’s Sun Pluto Uranus in Virgo – which is a very aggravated mix. He’d completely stifle her or as well as throw her off balance.

Hillary’s relationship chart with Bill is not entirely lyrical through January 2017 with tr Neptune opposition the composite Mars, so disappointment there for whatever reason.

Political dynastic families are every bit as dysfunctional as Royal ones.

Poor Prince Harry who can’t do his woo-ing or maybe just hot-dating without it ending up splattered across the media is being connected to American actress and divorcee Meghan Markle, three years his senior. She was born 4 Aug 1981 in Los Angeles so is a Leo Sun with Jupiter Saturn Moon in Libra and Venus in Virgo.

Her Venus certainly chimes with his Virgo Sun though it isn’t conjunct and her Pluto (and maybe Moon) are conjunct his Venus in Libra which will give a sizzle of passion and affection. Her Sun falls in his 8^th which usually produces the kind of connection that feels ‘meant’ though it doesn’t mean it’ll last for ever.

Their relationship chart has a needs-space composite Sun square Uranus; a fire-crackling Venus Mars conjunction; and a less than lyrical composite Moon square Pluto Saturn, maybe trine Jupiter. The Sun Uranus isn’t great; nor are the sticky Moon influences. Worse is a mutually unsupportive (on an ego level) composite Mars square Neptune.

Royal romancers may need to wait for a more ideal match – and he does have tr Pluto square his Venus for another year, so who knows? He’s certainly wanting to settle down now with his Progressed Moon going through his 7^th for another year plus.

Former competitive swimmer Michael Phelps and the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, has married his long time sweetheart, former Miss California Nicole Johnson. Their baby was born on 5 May this year.

It’s certainly a feisty match since both have Sun Mars in emotional Cancer. They were born only 13 days apart – Michael Phelps, 30 June 1985 6.55am Baltimore, Maryland and Nicole Johnson, 12 July 1985, Colorado. Her Taurus Moon is probably conjunct his Venus in Taurus and her Venus in Sagittarius is opposition his Moon – so lots of affection from those, though it won’t be without its strains. Their relationship chart has a Yod of exuberant, adventurous Jupiter sextile Uranus inconjunct Sun Mars; with the composite Venus inconjunct Pluto; and Sun Mars trine Saturn – so intense feelings and quite hard work at times.

The wedding chart, 13 June 2016 Arizona, has a romantic Sun Venus but that is also on one leg of a Yod in sextile to Uranus inconjunct Mars.

His personal chart also has a Yod of Jupiter sextile Uranus inconjunct Mars which drove him on from an early ADHD condition into determined training and winning over many years. Whether such a Mars will be as easily handled in a relationship is  questionable. Nicole is certainly having quite a radical life change with tr Uranus finishing the square to her Sun Mars at the end of this year into early 2017, followed by tr Pluto opposition Sun Mars for several years ahead which won’t be easy.

Baby Boomer, 5 May 2016, is a charming Sun Venus in Taurus in a lucky, talented, confident, materialistic Earth Grand Trine of Sun trine Jupiter trine Pluto; formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition Neptune. So he’s likely to aim for high finance. He’s also got Neptune opposition Jupiter squaring onto Mars Saturn in Sagittarius which will make him volatile, quite hard-edged, a hint of not getting everything he wants in childhood.

Palace gossip has it that Prince Andrew is in a strop because Prince Charles’ slim-down-the-monarchy plans are denying his daughters Princess Beatrice and Eugenie a formal role with royal duties and presumably the civil list payments to go with it. Beatrice especially has found it difficult to settle to a sensible job, in between multiple holidays per year, innumerable fashion shows, celebrity charity appearances and the like.

Relations between the two brothers have never been easy with Charles’s 2^nd house Saturn conjunct Andrew’s Pluto and opposition Andrew’s Saturn; and Charles’s emphasised Pluto conjunct Andrew’s 1^st house Uranus. So Charles will have stonewalled him every which way, despite a reasonable cross over between Andrew’s Scorpio Moon and Charles‘s Scorpio Sun.

Their relationship chart is cold and angry with a composite 8^th house Moon square a 4^th house Saturn; and an argumentative, competitive composite Sun Mars Mercury conjunction.

There’ll be an eruption or a turnaround of sorts between them from April of 2017 onwards with tr Uranus square the composite Uranus and trine the composite Pluto – at the same time as Andrew has tr Uranus conjunct his midheaven. That last usually presages a sharp change of direction career-wise. But it’s difficult to see in which direction he’d move. His Trade Envoy job disappeared in 2011 after criticism of his associations,  although he still does some support for UK enterprise work without a special role.

Their relationship becomes a good deal more frosty come 2018/19 as tr Saturn is conjunct the composite Mars Sun Mercury, perhaps when Prince Charles steps closer to the throne.