Astrology of Today’s News

The social media sharing of Christmas happy family pics seems to have turned into a contest between Madonna and the Ritchie family with young Rocco enjoying himself in the UK, despite being court-ordered back to New York. (See previous post).

Guy Ritchie, Madonna’s ex and father of Rocco, remarried this year to Jaqui Ainsley, with whom he has three children. Born 28 Nov 1981, she’s a lively Sun Uranus in Sagittarius with a determined Pluto conjunct Jupiter on one side and Saturn in the other. Her Mars in Virgo squares Madonna’s 4th house Saturn in Sagittarius so challenging Madonna’s need to keep her family under control.

Their relationship chart does not indicate harmonious chemistry at the best of times, with an aggravated composite Mars square Sun; and Mars trine Saturn. And it is being heavily pressured over the next three years with tr Pluto square the composite Sun, then opposition the composite Mars and sextile Pluto.

So a battle of the mothers.

Bubbly actress Barbara Windsor, best known for EastEnders, Carry On comedies and a riotous love life involving some scary criminals back in the day, is reportedly to be made a dame in the New Year Honours. Though some think that unlikely. She has skated through through scandal after scandal and emerged as a national treasure, partly because of her charity work.

Born 6 August 1937 in London with an unverified 2pm birth time from ADB, she’s a New Moon in Leo square Uranus in Taurus – so a performer who goes her own way without caring about convention. She’s got a talented and lucky Earth Grand Trine of Jupiter in Capricorn trine Neptune in Virgo trine Uranus; with a confident Jupiter widely opposition Pluto.

2pm doesn’t seem that likely since it would give her a 9th house New Moon. I’d guesstimate more likely to be 11pm which puts the flamboyant Leo New Moon in the entertaining 5th; and Jupiter in the 10th which often brings respectability in later life. Plus a 4th house Pluto trine a 7th house Mars in Scorpio.

She did date both the Kray Twins (urgh) and married gangster Ronnie Knight and had a string of abusive other relationships – and five abortions. Her Venus in Cancer squares Saturn in self-reliant Aries, so she probably thought she wasn’t worth much emotionally.

Her Jupiter in Capricorn is about to get the tr Uranus square in early 2016; and then tr Pluto conjunct in 2017/18 so lots of success ahead.

One thing worse than being born into a celebrity family is being born into an aristocratic one. Castle Howard, the spectacular setting for Brideshead Revisited, is now the scene of a family feud which according to a friend makes ‘Kane and Abel look like a fairy tale.’

Before the late Lord Howard of Henderskelfe died in 1984 he offered the running of the house and estate to the elder son Nicholas, who turned it down to pursue an (unsuccessful) career as a pop singer. So his brother Simon took it over. Now he and his family have been issued with an eviction notice telling them to leave their home by the end of January. Nicholas and his wife Victoria Barnsley (until 2013 a high powered publishing CEO) are taking over.

Nicholas Howard, 25 April 1952, is a Sun in Taurus opposition Mars in Scorpio with Sun conjunct Jupiter in late Aries; and Mars square Pluto – so lucky, stubborn, ultra-determined to get his own way.

Simon Howard, 26 January 1956, is a Sun Mercury in Aquarius opposition Uranus square Neptune; with Mars Saturn in Sagittarius square Venus in Pisces; and a confident Jupiter Pluto conjunction in Leo. So also Fixed, not always co-operative and creative. There’s always a feeling about Mars Saturn of not getting quite what he wants, or being badly done by. Nicholas’s Mars in Scorpio squares his Aquarius Sun which is not a good combination since Mars here has a do-or-die relentlessness and a ruthless streak.

Their relationship chart has a volatile Water Grand Trine of composite Sun trine Uranus trine Mars; and worse a composite Mars square Pluto; and a Yod onto the composite Sun – so explosive, hostile, power struggling and a real ego-clash.

Simon Howard has been having a tough time recently with his Solar Arc Saturn Mars crossing over his Sun, through a bout of throat cancer and now this. He looks disappointed and lacking drive in 2016. Though will bounce back in 2017/18 as tr Uranus trines his Pluto Jupiter.

Victoria Barnsley, wife of Nicholas, according to reports is part of the driving force behind the changeover. Born 4 March 1954, she has Sun, probably Moon, and two other planets in Pisces on the focal point of a T Square to Mars in Sagittarius opposition Jupiter – so ego-centric, a risk-taker, talented, scattered.

Her relationship with Simon is bleak with a composite Sun opposition Pluto square Saturn. With her husband there’s a real powerhouse, Sherman Tank of a composite T square of Mars opposition Jupiter square Pluto. Mows down anything in its path. She doesn’t look either settled or successful over the next two to three years.

The Australia 1901 chart has Sun and Saturn in Capricorn which have survived the pounding of the past few years of tr Uranus square tr Pluto.

However with seven planets in Mutable signs – 4 Sag, 2 Gem, 1 Virgo – the year ahead will hold problems of a different sort with tr Neptune square the financial 8th house Venus and opposition the 5th house (speculation) Mars. Plus tr Saturn conjunct Venus, Uranus, square Mars and opposition Pluto in 2016; dragging into 2017 with the conjunction to the AU Jupiter, Mercury and by opposing Neptune.

The Eclipses are also targeting those Mutable planets with the September Virgo Eclipse the trickiest as it is conjunct the AU Mars.

So worrisome, deflating, enthusiasm-denting, with perhaps more aggravating factors than usual with the Eclipse on Mars which is angry and can also be disasters of one sort or another. There’ll be a considerable jolt from Solar Arc Uranus square Sun, exact in six months time. Following that there’s an accident-prone/military? Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn, exact in late 2016, which will produce heated outbursts.

There will be some moments of sunshine with tr Uranus conjunct the Solar Arc Jupiter from late April 2016, again in November and early 2017; with better news as tr Uranus trines the AU Jupiter in 2017.

So a definite dip with several reality checks, but light at the end of the tunnel come 2017.

The Bank of Australia, 14 Jan 1960, has three planets in Sagittarius so it will feel the discouraging effects of tr Saturn conjunctions in 2016/2017; with an upheaval or two from tr Uranus squares the BoA Capricorn Sun in 2016. But again better luck coming by 2018.

Singer Elton John, according to the Daily Mail, has been gradually losing most of his old staff, it is said due to differences with his now-husband David Furnish, who has taken over his career direction. Furnish has been liked to Yoko Ono in terms of his influence.

Elton was born 25 March 1947 4pm Pinner, England and has been through a testing time in recent years with his 8th house Aries Sun opposition Neptune being hammered by tr Uranus and tr Pluto. He’s clear of that now.

His relationship with Furnish, 25 October 1962, is supportive with F’s Jupiter in E’s 7th; and F’s Venus conjunct E’s 4th house Jupiter in Scorpio. There are less wonderful cross overs with F’s Mars in Leo conjunct E’s Saturn Pluto, which looks problematic and could end up in a bitter power struggle if it ever came to a separation.

That is mirrored in the relationship chart with a composite Mars square Pluto; though there’s also an affectionate and morale-boosting composite Sun Venus Jupiter conjunction as well. So lots of positives as well as some negatives.

There will be pressure on their relationship through 2016/17 with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Sun and Jupiter; and in 2017 with tr Uranus square Uranus, opposition Neptune. Elton also has his Sun/Moon midpoint stressed in 2016 as tr Uranus opposes it which can sometimes cause rifts in marriages.

Furnish himself looks rather stuck and undermined in 2016 and hugely frustrated and enraged in late 2016/2017. So not all harmony in the golden palace.

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.