Astrology of Today’s News

The UK award winning Downton Abbey, which became one of the world’s most watched TV dramas, has come to an end after six seasons. Set in a stately home it followed the gradual decline of the British aristocracy’s fortunes and lifestyle through WW1 up to 1930.

It was the brainchild of writer Julian Fellowes, born 17 August 1949 in Egypt to a diplomat father and brought up in the home counties in England at private schools. He started life as an actor and graduated to writing, winning an award for the screenplay of Gosford Park.

He’s a Sun Pluto in Leo as befits an interest in the five-star lifestyle of the English upper classes, as does his Jupiter in traditional and socially ambitious Capricorn.
He’s got a writerly and meticulous Mercury Saturn in Virgo; an attracted-to-show biz Neptune square Mars in Cancer; and possibly an indulgent Taurus Moon.

Downton Abbey was given the OK by Peter Fincham, Director of ITV, who has been crucial to reversing its downturn since he took up the job in 2008. He’s also a Sun Leo in his case conjunct Uranus; with a resoundingly confident Pluto Jupiter conjunction; and a tough Pluto square Saturn.

Singer Janet Jackson, sister of Michael, has cancelled a string of concert appearances because she needs immediate surgery.

Born 16 May 1966 Gary, Indiana, she has provisional birth times of either 7am or 7pm. Since 7pm puts tr Uranus on the cusp of her 6th house of health and tr Pluto moving to square her Aries Moon it seems more likely.

She is a Sun Mars in Taurus opposition Neptune so determined, feisty, suited to a high-glam business.

Tr Uranus moving through the 6th can bring sudden health issues to the fore. Tr Pluto square her Moon from the New Year can also put pressure on the body. Late February/March also look edgy with more upsets, even more surgery then as tr Uranus squares her Mars/Uranus and Mars/Pluto midpoints. It looks stressful. Relief and enthusiasm will return late March.

China is facing the final year of a lengthy series of tr Pluto square tr Uranus attacking its 8th house Libra Sun, Mercury, Neptune, making for significant financial pressures. Only tr Pluto square Neptune remains, finishing in October 2016, which can produce feelings of devastation, either man-made or natural.

Solar Arc Saturn is conjunct the China Venus now for a financial chill but that will move away through 2016.

There’ll be better luck, easing tension, from May 2016 onwards, on and off for a year as tr Uranus squares the China Jupiter; with more expansive risk-taking and less retraction in early 2017 with Solar Arc Mars square Jupiter.

By 2019 tr Pluto will conjunct the China Jupiter for two years of resounding financial success, so the dragon should have turned the corner by then.

Whither the EU? The migrants overtook the Greece economic meltdown scenario so the existential question has been rather over shadowed. Since the EU held through the tr Uranus square tr Pluto hitting on its 10 degree Capricorn Sun, it seems unlikely to keel over in the immediate future.

Though there will be an almighty jolt in 6 months’ time or earlier when the Solar Arc Uranus squares the EU Sun. That pulls down the full strength of the EU Fixed Grand Cross on the EU Sun, so it will be an event (series of) of considerable magnitude, which will shake its security.

The financial conundrum hasn’t disappeared with Solar Arc Pluto moving conjunct the Jupiter/Neptune midpoint in 2016/17 and then being conjunct Neptune in 2019/20 – which is all financial bubble-bursting, overly high hopes dashed.

Tr Uranus moving into the EU’s 8th house of finance in 2017/18 will cause some instability; more so when it starts a gruelling and unstable process of several years moving in hard aspect to the EU Grand Cross. In 2019 it opposes the EU Uranus and square the EU Moon which will give the rigidity of the EU a terrific pounding, economically as well as every other way. 2019 as well Solar Arc MC is conjunct the hidden 12th house Pluto which will be blocked.

The Saturn Pluto in Capricorn conjunction of 2019/2020 falls in the EU’s 4th house, so bringing deprivation internally to its citizens. 2022 and 2023 look explosive, disruptive and then undermined.

If it survives, in whatever form, it may start to emerge into easier times by 2024 when tr Pluto moves into Aquarius and its 5th house.

The European Central Bank (ECB) 1 June 1998, is looking limp and uncertain through 2016 with tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on its Gemini Sun; and into 2017 tr Saturn square Jupiter. 2018/19 sees tr Uranus conjunct its Saturn Venus which looks like another rough patch.

The UK looks confident at the moment with Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct Pluto in the 1801 chart, as Christmas sales break all records (and household/credit card debt soars back up). To some extent that exuberance will continue through 2016/17 with tr Pluto trine Jupiter/Pluto on and off.

Tr Uranus will make one more square to the UK 10th house Cancer Moon in March. I can’t say I noticed much of its impact in 2015, except there were massive anti-austerity marches and demos over the first hit. HM Queen became the longest reigning monarch and Jeremy Corbyn was surprisingly elected during the second hit. The 10th house is the country’s rulership and the Moon does represent the people. It may become more obvious as time goes on and will certainly be forefront in 2017/2018 when tr Pluto opposes the UK Moon.

There will be some moments of panicky failure with tr Neptune conjunct the Sun/Mars midpoint in March and more obviously September when tr Saturn squares Sun/Mars for a more major setback. That will coincide with a major shock from Solar Arc Sun square the 8th house Mars exact in nine months from now, though perhaps triggering earlier. The 8th house Mars can be economic but it tends also in the UK to accompany major disasters, man-made or natural with loss of life.

The only eclipse to make much of an impact will be the late March Lunar which is conjunct/opposition the UK Uranus – so jolting and unsettled.

The UK’s 7th house Aries North Node is under pressure from a tr Pluto square which is subtle but could be about whether to continue co-operating with the EU or to Brexit. Co-operation not being a strong point either for an Aries Node or a Node in the 7th. I’ve always thought if the UK was going to exit it would have done so long since.

The Bank of England chart, 27 July 1694 10 am London, will have a lucky break over the first six months, so presumably better economic news. But it then goes into a tail spin with the September Lunar Eclipse in hard aspect to its Mutable Grand Square; with tr Saturn following on to produce discouragement in December 2016, and worse in January 2017.

The USA will continue to trudge through tr Pluto square Saturn for a second year till October, which isn’t frivolous or indulgent, can be accompanied by some hardship and deprivation. 4 July 1776 (11 am).

There’s also a fair amount of Neptune around – tr Neptune conjunct the Solar Arc Sun; tr Neptune square Uranus; Solar Arc Mercury opposition Neptune exact in 3 months. So muddled thinking, not ego-boosting, maybe a hint of fanaticism from Neptune Uranus. Perhaps a risk of flooding as well.

There will be high spots and confident-pushes from tr Pluto square Jupiter/Pluto from January on and off for two years, but it looks fairly foggy along the way until the September Eclipses.

Tr Uranus will square the USA Mercury from mid 2016 on and off for a year; and then in 2017 square the USA Pluto – so outbursts, over frank exchanges of dogmatic views. Certainly quite an upheaval in 2017.

The afflicted Virgo Solar Eclipse will square the USA Uranus which suggests freedom will become a major issue – too much or too little, wither freedom of speech or of personal liberty. And the September Lunar Eclipse sits close to the USA Neptune and square the USA Mars in Gemini. Mars in hard aspect to an Eclipse is argumentative, which may be part and parcel of the run up to the election. Neptune hitting the Eclipse may bring into question whether the USA is fulfilling its ideals as a superpower or gently decaying, perhaps becoming more isolationist.

The mood around the Inauguration in January 2017 looks discouraging, bad tempered and deflated – with tr Saturn then opposition the USA Mars and square USA Neptune – so not a generally popular result. Or there are global concerns bearing down.

The 2017 Inauguration chart itself does have a Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto – so quite a gambler as the next President, who takes risks and exerts control. A Mars Saturn square suggests less overtly pacifist than Obama. But a Sun square Moon hints at the White House being out of step with the general mood (or not caring).

The Federal Reserve chart 16 Nov 1914 9am has both tr Saturn and tr Neptune in hard aspect to its financial Venus at 10 Sagittarius, so economic setbacks and a few sinking moments up till September. 2017 sees Solar Arc Neptune square the FedRes Jupiter which is never a good economic sign – too much over confidence, not enough common sense, inflationary.

What’s to look forward to and guard against in the coming year.

The disruptive, chaotic Uranus square Pluto has no more exactly exact aspects, though is very close in January/February. It will gradually fade in influence, though returning with a reasonably close orb late in the year. Its effect will be felt most strongly when the Sun and Mars move through Cardinal signs in January, April, July and October.

Although a lesser influence, the neurotic Saturn in Sagittarius square Neptune will also be to the forefront, increasing panic levels and inflating ill-defined fears. Typically Saturn Neptune is paranoid so magnifying small concerns and making mountains out of them. It will be around for the first ten months or so, most notably when exact in June and September, especially the latter when it is fired up by the Eclipses.

At best Saturn can give shape and structure to Neptune’s dreams. Neptune’s creativity and ideals for a better society, help for the suffering, can be made real. Though it would have to be said a square makes that more difficult. If Neptune gets the upper hand it dissolves Saturn’s sense of reality, inducing disorientation, a difficulty in distinguishing fiction from fact.

Jupiter in Virgo is also square Saturn for the first six months which is an odd combination – expanding and shrinking at the same time, not entirely stable.

On the better news front, Jupiter trines Pluto in March, April and June – successful, positive thinking leads to positive results, morale boosting. Then in November and December, Jupiter (from September in Libra) squares Pluto and opposes Uranus – which will be confident and lucky; along with an innovative Saturn trine Uranus in December.

Mars is having a retrograde year so stays in Sagittarius from March till May and August/September – good for crusading and campaigning – and arguing.

The Eclipses which have an effect just before the due date and for some months after:
The 9th March Solar Eclipse at 18 degrees Pisces opposes Jupiter which is great and squares Saturn, not so great. Not catastrophic but wobbly.
The 23 March Lunar Eclipse at 3 degrees Libra/Aries is sextile/trine Mars which will be lively. There is a Neptune Venus opposition Jupiter square Saturn so some discouragement and confusion.

The more difficult Eclipses come in September. The Solar Eclipse on 1st September at 9 degrees Virgo opposes Neptune and squares a Mars Saturn conjunction which looks accident prone, rattled, maybe military ramping up and muddled.
The 16 September Lunar Eclipse at 24 degrees Pisces/Virgo squares onto Mars which looks aggravated; with the Uranus Pluto square anchored into a T Square to Venus in Libra so emotionally intense and unpredictable; and the Saturn Neptune square tied tighter together into another T square with the Virgo North Node – so Mars, Pluto, Saturn are all on focal points, accentuating their effect.

Rocco Ritchie, the 15 year old son of Madonna and Guy Ritchie, has evidently been ordered to New York to discuss with his mother his desire to stay with his father in the UK. He did tour with Madonna but after a while decided he didn’t want to any longer.

Born 11 August 2000 12.45am Los Angeles, he does have a 4th house Leo Sun and Venus in Virgo also in his 4th – so will be fond of his father. His Sun opposes Uranus on the MC so mother will be seen as unpredictable though he’ll also be changeable. He’s also confident and determined with Jupiter Saturn opposition Pluto square Venus.

Madonna is also a Leo so maybe there’s a clash of egos and her Mars in Taurus squares his Sun opposition Uranus – so quite a volatile relationship.

His father’s Sun Jupiter Pluto (Uranus) in Virgo fall in Rocco’s 4th house so home will be a shared bond. Though Guy’s Mars in Leo is also conjunct Rocco’s Sun opposition Uranus so it won’t all be sweetness and light.

On the relationship charts, there’s a good deal of affection between Madonna and Rocco with a composite Sun Venus Jupiter conjunction though it does admittedly square Uranus – so not good for a 24/7 enclosed space kind of connection. The composite Moon opposes Uranus and squares Jupiter – so again needs-space but also fun. What is more telling is a composite Mars opposition Neptune – which often brings ego-clashes as if each find supporting the other’s success difficult.

Rocco’s relationship with his father also has a composite Sun square Uranus though with a stabilising Sun trine Saturn. There’s a hard edged Mars square Saturn so more discipline – but not the same competitiveness as with his mother.

Being a teenager he’ll probably change his mind – several times. Who’d be the child of a celebrity marriage?

Another brothel-keeper with prominent clientele has died. Fernande Grudet became Madame Claude and a household name in the 1970s, providing “high class” young women to rich and powerful men from her home in Paris – including John F Kennedy, the Shah of Iran, Giovanni Agnelli, the Fiat tycoon, Muammar Gaddafi and Marlon Brando. An acquaintance said, ‘I think she hated men. She used them strictly to make money and saw them as nothing more than wallets.’
One of her girls likened her to a ‘slave driver on a plantation in the American South.’ But she hired private tutors to teach them art and philosophy, sent them abroad to learn languages and culture, paid for any necessary plastic surgery. Her clients booked an appointment over the telephone, giving rise to the term “call girls”.

Born 6 July 1923 9am Angers, France, she was much tougher and nastier than scatter-brained Cynthia Payne (see previous post). Claude had a Sun Pluto in Cancer on the focal point of a T Square to an Aries Moon opposition Saturn – ego-centric, dominating, cold, hard.
Her Sun Pluto was also in a self-protective Water Grand Trine to Jupiter in money-making Scorpio trine Uranus, formed into a Kite with Uranus (on cusp of 8th house of sexuality) opposition the Virgo North Node – so definitely out of step with the conventional morals of the society. She also had Mars in Cancer trine Uranus.
Quite a scary woman and a fantasist from all accounts which is another Water Grand Trine trait.

The Sun Pluto conjunction in Cancer also occurs in the charts of the late Greville Janner and Cyril Smith, two former UK MPs, born within two weeks of each other in 1928, both of whom were accused of child abuse.

I’ve always found Pluto in Cancer an uncomfortable energy when heavily marked in a chart. It was around 1913 to 1939 and oversaw tremendous changes out in society in WW1 and the Depression; and in the break up (in the West) of the old family structure. But it seems to represent, in one of its aspects, the Terrible Mother or the negative feminine – over-controlling, uninsightful and emotionally contaminated.

English actor Tom Hardy – Black Hawk Down, The Revenant, Mad Max, Legend (playing both gangster Kray twins) – has been picking up bad publicity for his obvious dislike of doing media interviews at premiere time.

Born 15 September 1977 he’s a Sun Virgo; with Mercury in Virgo on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Mars Jupiter in Cancer trine Uranus. Virgo can be sharp-tongued and a Mercury Uranus Mars will tend to be volatile. He’s also got a compacted-anger Mars square Pluto (Moon) in Libra. Five of his planets aspect Mars midpoints which will also stoke up the heat – and make him good at playing violent roles.