Astrology of Today’s News

The late Queen Mother’s dislike for Wallis Simpson, who caused the abdication of Edward V111, was well known and continued for decades as she blamed her for undermining the monarchy and hastening the death of her husband, George VI.  Wallis referred to Elizabeth as “the Dowdy Duchess” and “the fat Scottish cook”, and Elizabeth dismissed her as “that woman”. All of which is meat and drink for a drama documentary on BBC tonight – Royal Wives at War.

Wallis Simpson, 19 June 1896 10.30pm Blue Ridge, Pennsylvania and the Queen Mother, 4 Aug 1900 12.52am (?)

Wallis Simpson had a social-butterfly Sun Venus in Gemini which the Queen Mother’s Neptune Mars was conjunct and the QM’s Saturn opposed. So definitely a sour chemistry with the QM putting her down and blocking her every which way. Wallis’s Saturn in Scorpio was also conjunct the QM’s Scorpio Moon – so it worked both ways. Interestingly the QM’s Uranus was exactly conjunct W’s MC – so she was the catalyst for major, unexpected changes in Wallis’s life, sending her off into lifelong exile with her husband, the Duke of Windsor.

Their relationship chart was also explosive with a composite Mars opposition Uranus which was sextile/trine the composite Sun; and a resentful composite Saturn opposition Pluto.

The stock markets are all on a downward slide after China caught a dose of the panics about their economic situation and, according to commentators, made the situation worse by imposing a brake on their markets.

The Shanghai SSE Composite Index, 19 December 1990, does have a dead-halt Solar Arc Saturn square Pluto around now. That will ease as the months go by. They also have the mild but bubble-bursting tr Neptune opposition Solar Arc Jupiter all year and the disruptive, high-tension tr Uranus square Saturn from mid 2016 on and off into 2017.

The Hang Seng Index (HK) has a completely-blocked Solar Arc Pluto square Mars now; and a devastating tr Pluto conjunct the Solar Arc Neptune as well which returns later in the year; plus tr Uranus square the Solar Arc Sun from late February – so much the same confusion and jolting as Shanghai for this year. Though once the Solar Arc Pluto squares move on it should ease up considerably.

The Hang Seng looks mighty relieved to see April 2017 when an uplifting tr Uranus opposition Jupiter will turn the corner into better times.

The New York Stock Exchange, 17 May 1792 7.52am New York, has an undermining Solar Arc Mars opposition its Neptune, exactly now. That should start to ease as the months go on. Tr Uranus will oppose the NY SE Jupiter from this May which might bring some confidence back. Though generally it’ll be an unsettled year with tr Uranus sextile Pluto following immediately behind.

The Dow Jones, 26 May 1896 9.11 am New York, has an uncomfortably discouraging set of influences for the year ahead with tr Saturn opposition Pluto Neptune through till late October; and a high-tension Solar Arc Uranus square Neptune, exact in 6 months’ time. Plus an uncertain tr Neptune conjunct Solar Arc Neptune from mid February till the New Year 2017.

The FTSE First Trade, 3 January 1984 10am, London, has an upsetting Solar Arc Uranus conjunct its Moon for the next six to eight months. And it is still labouring under the wet blanket of Solar Arc Sun square Saturn which has been running for the past seven months and will be in effect for another five months. There’s another dampener ahead from tr Saturn conjunct Jupiter Neptune in early 2017. Though again there may be more cheer further into 2017 with tr Uranus trine Jupiter which should get confidence back up.

None of it looks terminal, just very edgy and not buoyant.

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JJ Abrams, director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, now the highest grossing movie ever in North America, was born 27 June 1966 in New York.

He has a creative, lucky Sun Jupiter in Cancer; with Jupiter trine Neptune, sextile Uranus Pluto in Virgo. So he’s well-adapted to the mega-sums involved in movie-making and an innovator. He’s also got a super-determined and risk-taking Mars square Uranus Pluto which he’d need. With his Sun square Saturn in last degree Pisces.

Without a birth time there’s not much showing on his chart that would indicate a stratospheric success, apart from tr Jupiter conjunct his Uranus Pluto and square his Mars in the run up to the release.

Principal Photography started on 16 May 2014 when there was a Cardinal Grand Cross of Jupiter in Cancer opposition Pluto square Mars opposition Uranus Venus – which would certainly stir up his Sun Jupiter.

Though I must confess to being puzzled by the Force Wakens premiere chart of 14 December 2015 which is lucky enough with a Sun square Jupiter, but not too outstanding.

Whereas the other big grosser of this year the Bond Spectre premiered on a Pluto trine Mars Jupiter Venus which does look mega.  And Avatar which was previously the highest grosser, premiered on a Mars in Leo opposition Jupiter Neptune, trine/sextile the Sun. With a Yod onto Mars in Leo.  So was also going to make a significant mark.

A mystery.

Robert Stigwood, one of the most powerful impresarios in pop music has also died. He managed The Who, Eric Clapton, the Bee Gees, promoted Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Rod Stewart; was the force behind Saturday Night Fever and Grease; and launched the rock opera career of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Known as ruthless, charming and decadent, he amassed a £200 million fortune, and ended his days as a virtual recluse surrounded only by staff in his mansion on the Isle of Wight.

Born 16 April 1934 3.10am Adelaide, Australia (?), his chart says one thing more strongly than anything else and that is money.  He had a 2^nd house Sun Mars Uranus in Aries opposition and 8^th house Jupiter squaring a 5^th house Pluto in Cancer. He’d love being centre of attention, was controlling to the nth degree, though also ahead of his time so could spot trends. He had initiative by the bucket load, was restless, impulsive, prone to taking gambles.

He also had Neptune on his Descendant opposition Venus Ascendant in Pisces square his Sagittarius MC – so musically inclined, charming when it suited him, evasive when it didn’t.

According to the Daily Mail: “he had a reputation for sharp-elbowed ruthlessness that once saw him described as ‘gentle as a shark with tungsten fillings and a toothache’. Pluto on the point of a Cardinal T Square in hard aspect to the Sun Mars and Uranus would certainly give him killer instincts in business. Add in Jupiter’s confidence and he was all set for a rip roaring career. Though clearly all the success and money didn’t give him a happy end to his life.

His Taurus Moon was oddly aspected in a wide square to Saturn and sextile Pluto and trine Neptune; indeed was square his Neptune/Pluto midpoint – which would make him hyper-sensitive where close relationships were concerned and uncommitted with Neptune on his Descendant.

His creative 5^th Harmonic has an entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine/Kite focused onto executive Saturn. His 7H suggest innovative talents, great confidence and the ability to organise and get his message across. His pleasure and money-loving 9H is was also strong, earthy and ego-centric. His 19H was also marked which generally shows luck, success and prosperity but not necessarily happiness.

Pierre Boulez, one of the most significant figures in western music over the past century has died aged 90. He was a composer, conductor of many of the great orchestras, writer and performer, highly thought of by fellow musicians, despite or because of his maverick tendencies. He always championed avant garde composers and left his native France because he felt it was too hidebound, settling in Germany.

Born on 26 March 1925 5pm Montbrison, France, he had a 7^th house an Aries Sun which squared an influential and dominating 10^th house Pluto. He also had a Venus Uranus in Pisces conjunction straddling his Descendant and evidently could be charming and horrible, not infrequently at the same time.

His musical Neptune in Leo was emphasised being on the focal point of a Yod to Jupiter in Capricorn sextile Uranus – so he’d be a risk-taker, always following his own vision. Although a communicator and dependent on close relationships, he was essentially a loner. Quite a contradictory temperament.

He lived with his lifelong partner, Hans Messmer, whom he sometimes referred to as his valet.

His creative 7H, 14H and 15H harmonics are especially strongly marked. As was his ‘super-star’ 22H.

Saudi Arabia has thrown fuel on the fire with Iran and the other Shi’ite Arab countries by executing a respected activist cleric (and another 46 all on the same day). The fault lines in the Middle East are being ripped apart at an alarming rate with the two superpowers taking up high noon positions.

Obama has murmured an anodyne protest while David Cameron has done even less to protest at Saudi Arabia’s barbarity which is getting more extreme under the ailing King Salman’s reign, with reckless and squabbling princelings pushing it to the brink.

The Saudi 1902 chart has tr Uranus moving to square Saturn from mid March onwards and square Sun Jupiter from mid year – so major changes and upheavals, though with some luck.

King Salman’s reign chart, 23 January 2015 1am, Riyadh, has tr Neptune conjunct the 4^th house Mars from mid January on and off throughout 2016 – so more panics in the family and internally in Saudi Arabia as oil prices hurtle down and social spending is pulled sharply back. Early 2017 will be worse with Solar Arc Neptune conjunct Mars.  That’s when tr Pluto is conjunct the SArabia Saturn for two years until late 2018 which will be even more severe cutbacks.

The SArab/Iran 1906 relationship chart is winding up for a power-play and a turnaround with the March Pisces Solar Eclipse square the Pluto (opposition Uranus) and tr Pluto square the composite Jupiter from March also till late 2017 which is always a tussle for the upper hand.

The SArab/Iran, Feb 1979 9am relationship chart is also in for an upsetting time with tr Uranus trine Pluto and tr Pluto sextile Saturn.

Both the Iran charts look very edgy and panicky. The 7 October 1906 one has tr Neptune conjunct Saturn from mid February onwards, on and off for year, with tr Pluto trine Mars which looks risky and enraged from this New Year onwards.

The 1979 chart also has tr Neptune opposition Saturn from mid 2016 till late 2017, so high levels of anxiety and paranoia; with dramatic changes from March. Though that may be partly the sanctions being lifted if the nuclear deal holds.

Bill Cosby’s wife Camille has been summoned to give evidence in a civil case against him, as he also faces criminal proceedings for sexual assault. According to reports she was supportive of him initially but became sickened as the list of complainants grew.

He was born 12 July 1937 12.30am Philadelphia, PA and she 20 March 1944 in Washington DC.

She’s a Sun Pisces opposition Neptune, and square Saturn Mars in Gemini – so a dreamer who’s had a hard life and been used to being tramped on.  She’s also got a detached Air Grand Trine of Uranus to Neptune to an Aquarius Moon, which last opposes Pluto – so she’s tough and able to stand back from painful situations.

He’s got a powerhouse and controlling Sun Pluto Mercury in Cancer in the 4^th opposition a confident, lucky, successful 10^th house Jupiter. His hard, self-reliant Saturn in Virgo is conjunct her Sun and opposition her Neptune; and her teeth-gritting Mars Saturn squares his Neptune (Moon) in Virgo hinting at his slippery approach to relationships.

Their relationship chart is a mix of chained-together and resenting it and unkind; with enough Jupiter around to make it bearable. There’s a composite Saturn opposition Jupiter square Pluto, trine Mars. With a needs-space Sun Uranus trine Neptune; and perhaps opposition composite Moon.

Their relationship has been through the mill in recent years and 2016 looks like a sinker with tr Neptune opposition Mars. It’s held together for 50 years so she may just sit it out from the sidelines.

They had four daughters and one son who was killed in a shooting in 1997. Ennis Cosby, 15 April 1969 12.28am Los Angeles, had a truly difficult chart with a Sun Saturn in Aries on the focal point of a Yod to Pluto Jupiter sextile Neptune; and Pluto square Mars. A Saturnine Yod is challenging to live out and can be quite fated.

Nicola Sturgeon keeps waving the flag for a second referendum for Scottish independence though, given the state of the oil industry with plummeting prices giving no sign of a reversal, the economic arguments make it likely there would still be a NO vote.

The SNP government looks set to win heavily in the May elections, despite having had a bad year with oil, a shambolic Police Scotland performance and problems in the NHS and education, as well as the under-maintained Forth Road Bridge coming apart at the seams.

On her personal chart, 19 July 1970 3.18pm Irvine, Scotland, she still has the career-success tr Jupiter through her 10^th until July 2016; though equally pulling against that is tr Saturn sinking lower into her first quadrant, moving through her 2^nd till 2018, which is not usually a time of great achievement. Often politicos with this, slide on longer and longer banana skins. She’s also got tr Neptune opposition her 10^th house Venus from mid January onwards and then opposition her Sun/Jupiter – so disappointments, undermining her popularity. There will be some resounding ups as well. But it looks like one step forwards, one step backwards for most of the year.

She has two highly pressured Solar Arcs coming up, exact in 18 months’ time, but in effect late this year – SArc Mercury conjunct Pluto; and SArc Pluto square Mercury. That will put her under considerable mental strain.

Her swearing in chart, 20 Nov 2014 10.15am, Edinburgh, is looking edgy in the extreme with tr Pluto conjunct the Mars/Pluto midpoint from the New Year and running all year, on and off. With an irritable, insecure tr Uranus square Mars from late Feb to mid March which is likely to lead to outbursts and rash decisions. What is interesting is that this chart has tr Saturn heading to cross the Ascendant from next New Year which could see a downward slide.

There are the usual (or more so) panics about the approaching Olympics in Brazil with behind-schedule construction, sewage-contaminated waterways for rowing events and street gun crime. Yet somehow the games almost always manage to get through without too many mishaps (apart from Munich).

It is due to start on August 5^th which gives a Neptune opposition Venus Mercury square Saturn Mars in Sagittarius  – so paranoia will be running high, and Saturn Mars can be accident-prone and bad tempered. What is helpful is the Leo Sun in a stable trine to Saturn and there will be a confident Jupiter in Virgo trine Pluto.

Brazil, in an economic downturn, is probably cursing the day it took on the Olympics. The 7 September 1822 chart has the Solar Arc Sun within a degree of being conjunct its’ Pluto, come August, which suggests it will be shuddering to some kind of an economic halt in the months thereafter. With a high tension tr Uranus inconjunct the Solar Arc Saturn. Happily it also has tr Jupiter conjunct Mercury at the Games opening so will put on a confident face.

The 15 Nov 1899 chart also indicates a sharp reversal following the Olympics with Solar Arc Sun opposition Mars. But again it has tr Jupiter coming to the rescue with a sextile to the Scorpio Sun, which is weak but will manage to raise the odd smile.