not categorised

Meghan has won her preliminary privacy battle with the Daily Mail over publication of part of a letter to her father (so far, pending an appeal which may or may not happen.) This judicial decision saves a trial in which Meghan, her friends, her biographer, former Royal aides and her father would have been expected to appear – not a prospect the Palace would have viewed with enthusiasm. It was an unexpected ruling with some legal experts unhappy. Mark Stephens, a libel lawyer, described it as “a good day for PR men”. “You are putting manacles on the media.” he said. He pointed to a future scenario in which advantage falls to rich and powerful people who can afford sophisticated PR companies.

  The timeline as I understand it was: – Meghan’s friends, allegedly without her knowledge, gave an interview to a US news magazine in support of her and referring to a letter she wrote to her father. Her father, Thomas Markle did not accept the letter was as positive as described and wanted to balance his side by handing over the letter to the Daily Mail to publish.  The Mail’s case was in part based on the argument that Meghan knowingly supplied information to the media via friends; and had written the letter with the assistance of Palace aides, indicating she knew it would be published.

  Thomas Markle looks unsettled and pressured at the moment with tr Uranus square his Pluto and tr Saturn in opposition to his Pluto this month, in addition to the start of a two year haul of tr Pluto opposition his Cancer Sun.

  His relationship chart with Meghan also looks agitated, aggravated and tense this month with the tr Uranus square tr Saturn hitting on the composite Mars and then the composite Mercury in March and April, so there could be a kick back. And their connection continues to be mired in suspicion and disappointment as the year wears on.

   Meghan’s own chart looks mainly challenging this year with the odd stroke of luck and money rolling in. Tr Pluto will oppose her Sun/Mars midpoint from later this month, one and off till late 2022; with confusion and tensions mid year onwards. Tr Uranus square tr Saturn will be battering her Leo Sun all this year from late March onwards into 2022 for setbacks and disruptions. And into 2022 Saturn moves through her 8^th tightening the money supply.

  Her relationship with the Queen is in a state of upheaval from late this month onwards and hitting more disappointment during the year with first tr Pluto conjunct the composite Uranus and then tr Neptune square the composite Sun. It’s not much better between herself and Prince Charles .

   Harry is having a sinking year with tr Neptune moving to oppose his Virgo Sun from late April onwards, on and off till January 2023. The tr Uranus square tr Saturn will hit his Saturn from mid this year and more pointedly his Midheaven in 2022, knocking him this way and that in terms of career and life’s direction. From mid 2022 tr Uranus moves across his IC and into his 4^th house of family which usually coincides with a house move or relocation and it can also bring upsets in the family. And poor soul, he has a raft of difficult and blocked Solar Arcs between 2023 and 2025.

  His relationship with Meghan has that truly difficult composite Saturn Pluto square Moon which is under pressure now but will amplify with tr Pluto opposition the composite Moon in 2022/23. His relationship with his brother William will worsen this year from April onwards so there’ll be no rapprochement any time soon.

  All very sad. More so if her father dies before she sees him again. The whole scenario was hideously badly handled pre the wedding, even given the obviously tricky family relationships.

  It’s not that the tabloids can’t be rancid – the Daily Mail online gets more like a Victorian freak and horror show by the day. But picking a fight with them is usually unwise especially if you want to use them for your own ends for ‘good’ publicity. You sign a pact with the devil and the devil will have his due.   

   Meghan does appear to have added clean-up-the-media to her mission statement of do-goodery causes. It remains to be seen how much that blows back on her.

PS Additional thought. Part of the offending letter was published in the judge’s ruling and it did read as ‘manufactured’, not the kind of private letter you’d dash off to a parent. And her thoughts on her recent miscarriage read oddly as well. Despite the sad nature of the event she was describing, her language was almost novelesque.

  The jinxed Berlin Brandenburg Airport has continued its run of bad luck with the pandemic cutting passenger numbers to a tenth of the expected. Originally planned for opening in 2011, it was set to become one of Germany’s busiest, but became a national embarrassment with delays caused by poor construction planning, execution, management, and corruption. It finally opened for commercial traffic on 31 October 2020 and has now announced the closure of one of the terminals and runways.

  Construction started on 5 September 2006 when the Virgo Sun was in an exact opposition to Uranus; and it welcomed its first plane on 31 October 2020 when the Scorpio Sun was in an exact opposition to Uranus. So disruption is written into its destiny.

   The start chart also has a wannabe-grand Saturn in Leo in an undermining opposition to Neptune and square an overly- hopeful Jupiter.  The Mars in Virgo is conjunct a South Node and both are in a ruthless and frustratingly stuck square to Pluto. Mars will be rattled in 2023 by the Solar Arc Sun opposition Uranus; with more ructions in 2022 from tr Uranus square the Saturn and Neptune.

   The opening chart apart from the Sun Uranus, has the Jupiter Saturn Pluto conjunction with Mars in Aries in square – not a great time to kick start a new project into gear. There’s also a focal point Neptune squaring onto the North/South Node access for dither, delay and dashed hopes.   

The pornographer Larry Flynt, a self-confessed smut peddler, who made gzillions out of adult entertainment and became an unlikely champion for free speech, has died. He launched Hustler magazine in the 1970s initially as advertising for his strip club businesses and it grew into a more explicit and hardcore magazine than Playboy and Penthouse, with often violent imagery or illusions involving women and children and immigrants.

  The Times described him as having an almost pathological need to cause offence. He spent his life fending off lawsuits and fought one freedom-of-speech issue up to the Supreme Court and won – turned into a movie starring Woody Harrelson.

   Flynt was shot and left paralysed in his mid-thirties by a white supremacist, angry at an interracial shoot for Hustler. By this time Flynt had been through three wives had four children, found and then lost God, and was on his fourth marriage to a 17 year old dancer described as ‘a promiscuous bisexual, [in whom] he found his perfect soulmate’. She helped him build up the Hustler empire and stood by him when he was condemned to a wheelchair. Though tragically she died a decade later, a drug addict with Aids, from a heroin overdose and drowned in the bath.

  He was born 1 November 1942 9.10 om Salyersville, Kentucky, into a dirt poor family with a sister dying of leukaemia young, his father’s drinking out of control which caused his mother to split.

  He had a Sun, Venus, Mars in Scorpio in his performing/entertainment 5^th house – intense, focussed on sex, attention-demanding. His Scorpio planets all squared Pluto in the financial 2^nd – immensely controlling and obsessed with money. His Pluto was further emphasised being on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine to a 12^th house Saturn Uranus in Gemini trine Neptune, sextile Pluto. He grabbed for money and held on to it. His lucky Jupiter in the 2^nd also helped. And he had a flamboyant Leo Moon in the 3^rd.

  When he was shot in 1978 tr Saturn was square his Progressed Mars just on the cusp of his 6^th house of health; with his Solar Arc Neptune approaching the devastating square to his Pluto and conjunct his Sun in the aftermath – he became dependent on powerful sedatives after a long six month recuperation in hospital.

  His fourth wife Althea, 6 November 1953 5.45 pm Marietta, Ohio, was a New Moon in Scorpio which certainly chimed with his Scorpio Sun, but her Saturn in Scorpio was oddly conjunct his Mars Venus for a fairly blocked and warped connection. Her Uranus was conjunct his 2^nd house Jupiter, so she’d bring luck and innovative ideas to his money-making schemes. Her Jupiter was also conjunct his Ascendant so she’d definitely be a motivator.

  The relationship chart was oriented towards work and entertainment with a 6^th and 5^th house focus. With a trapped, chained-together Saturn Pluto on the IC so their domestic life wouldn’t be a ball of light hearted fun.

  Interesting to note his Venus Mars conjunction which is also found in the charts of Jeffrey Epstein, Tom Jones, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell, the Thai king. Jimmy Savile had a Scorpio Sun Venus opposition Mars in Taurus. It does clearly have one manifestation which prompts excessive sexual behaviour. Though clearly will have other ways of operating since Janet Yellen also has it.

Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank welcomed a baby son on 9 February 2021 at 8.55am London.

   He has a stellium of five planets including his Sun in Aquarius in the friendly 11^th house and only missed having the Moon there as well by a few hours. His Sun, Mercury and Jupiter square a 2nd house Mars in stalwart Taurus for drive, assertiveness and a risk-taking streak, aimed in part at making and accumulating money. He has a cool Venus Saturn Jupiter in Aquarius square Uranus – so a curious mix of stubborn and rebellious. His Capricorn Moon in the late 10^th house is conjunct Pluto trine Mars and sextile a 12^th house Neptune – adding up to a public career, a possessive mother, an edgy approach to women and a tendency towards escapism or addiction.

  He’ll resonate with his mother who has an Aquarius Moon, Venus, Mars alongside her Aries Sun square Uranus. Their relationship chart has a cool Moon Saturn, a blissed-out Venus Neptune; a needs-space Sun Uranus; an upbeat Pluto Jupiter aspect; and the signature Royal Mars square Pluto – indicating the rigid pecking order which even filters down to children.

   His father’s Sun Taurus is conjunct his Mars for an argumentative chemistry but their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus and an adventurous Jupiter Uranus – as well as a defensive Venus square Saturn and a power-struggling Mars square Pluto.

He’s an Air Earth type – detached and practical; and incredibly Fixed so will have endurance aplenty.

Marilyn Manson, the singer with a deliberately cultivated weirdo-creepy image, now sinking under a deluge of abuse allegations, has been described by Le Monde as the American nightmare. He chose his stage name to resonate with the infamous Manson killing cult, and hasn’t deviated from flaunting depravity in decades. He’s been accused by actress Evan Rachel Wood of Westworld fame of grooming her as a teenager and then going on to abuse her for years. “I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission,” she wrote on Instagram. Manson has denied the claims, but has been dropped by his manager, record label and talent agency. His two wives (one former) have refused to be drawn into commenting.

  He was born 5 January 1969 8.05pm Canton, Ohio, and has a Capricorn Sun in the performing 5^th house. His Moon in Leo hidden in the 10^th is not well-aspected being opposition Mercury and square a vengeful walk-on-the-dark-side Mars in Scorpio. He will have problems with women, for sure – a reservoir of dark anger in there.

  Evan Rachel Wood, 7 September 1987 1.24am Raleigh, NC, also has a tricky Moon – in her case in Pisces trine Pluto and opposition Mars; with her Mars conjunct her Sun and both square Saturn (Uranus) so she would be used to difficult relationships in childhood which would have blunted her antennae for danger and risk.  Manson’s Mars in Scorpio is conjunct her 5^th house Pluto, which explains a good deal and she may initially have been attracted by his celebrity as well as the frisson of excitement he brought.  Their relationship chart has a high-tension, cold and erratic composite Moon opposition Uranus Sun square Saturn; plus a power-struggling Jupiter square Pluto.

  His first wife burlesque dancer and actress Dita von Teese, who has appeared in adult as well as mainstream films, some fetish soft-pornography, was born 28 September 1972 in Michigan. She left the marriage after seven years claiming drugs and infidelity were the cause of the split. She has a Libra Sun which is conjunct Manson’s Jupiter Uranus for a spark of adventure. More pointedly she has a volcanic Mars Pluto Sun conjunction hinting at a dominating father who was reportedly the raison d’etre for her fascination for lingerie, having seen it in his Playboy magazines when she was young. That volcanic collection are conjunct Manson’s South Node and Pluto, so she would hook into his shadowy streak.

  His present wife Lindsay Usich, a photographer, 2 October 1984, like Dita is a Sun Libra and her sensual and passionate Pluto Venus in Scorpio are conjunct Manson’s Mars for another intense connection. Her Mars Neptune in Sagittarius also squares his Pluto, so it will be a high-octane and controlling combo.  Both wives’ relationship charts with him have composite Sun Jupiters for largesse and good feelings and no indications of major aggravation. So either they didn’t/don’t care about his behaviour since it fits their pattern and preferences, or he treats them differently.

  His career looks like taking a sharp change of direction with tr Uranus conjunct his Taurus Midheaven with tr Saturn square within weeks and running throughout this year. And there’ll be serious emotional disruptions or agitated women as well with his Leo Moon also in the line of fire of tr Uranus and tr Saturn this year.  Plus a car-crash setback from tr Pluto conjunct his Mars/Saturn midpoint from late this month, on and off for two years. So the avalanche may continue to bury him.   

The shock-horror Guardian story that the Queen has interfered in parliamentary legislation where it affects her personal interests is difficult to gauge. Royal consent has been a formality for centuries and may just be a historical anachronism which has had little tangible effect. A constitutional expert said: ‘it is misleading to describe it as a veto. If consent were refused, parliament would be free to carry on legislating without it, if it chose to.’ Though it clearly adds fuel to the Republican  fire.

   Given the Queen’s age it’s difficult to extrapolate which astro-influences refer to this specific issue. She does have tr Saturn now well into her First House and lower-profile First Quadrant, so she will be either volunteering (or be forced) to do less in coming years. Three of her Midheaven midpoints will be undermined or jangled this year so she will be contemplating changes of direction anyway.  The tr Uranus square tr Saturn will hard aspect her Leo Moon from next month onwards till early 2021, which may be family upsets or concern about Prince Phillip, given her Moon is in the 7^th house of partnerships.

  What may be relevant is her Coronation chart of 2 June 1953, which kicked off at 11am though the oath would come later than that. What is notable is that the Aquarius Moon on this is at the same degree as her Moon, so some upsets are to be expected this year.  More significantly there’s an undermining tr Neptune square the Mars Mercury from late this April, on and off till January 2023.

  The last time tr Neptune was in hard aspect to the Coronation Mars Mercury was in 1980 over the engagement and marriage of Prince Charles and Diana – maybe panicky premonitions of a disaster to come?  Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, last surviving granddaughter of Victoria also died.  Oddly enough tr Uranus square the Coronation Mars in 1986 oversaw the engagement and marriage of Prince Andrew to Fergie, and the death of the Duchess of Windsor.  So it has definitely mixed effects.

  Prince Charles isn’t looking too confident or upbeat this year with tr Neptune square his 5^th house (of children) Mars, though that could in part be the increasingly odd behaviour of the wayward Prince Harry. 2022 will be a year of considerable setbacks with his Solar Arc Mars opposition his 2^nd house Saturn, which could come with significant financial implications. Tr Uranus moving through his career 10^th house will square his Pluto in 2022 as well for an upheaval or a distinct life change. One wouldn’t wish anyone away but he may find his outlook changes when his father dies. The Queen cheered up enormously though no one ever admitted it after the Queen Mother ambled off to boss the angels.

Singer Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Supremes, the most successful Motown act of the 1960s and best charting female group in US history, has died suddenly. Two days ago she announced on YouTube she was intending to release new solo material so it was unexpected.

  Born 6 March 1944 10.11 am Greenville, Mississippi, she was sent to live with relatives whom she thought were her parents when she was three and pulled away from them aged nine when her mother reclaimed her. She had a musical 11^th house Sun and Mercury in Pisces in square to Mars Saturn in Gemini, so she didn’t have it easy either in childhood or later, despite her success. She also had an emphasised Moon Pluto North Node in her 4^th on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine to a musical Neptune in the performing 5^th in a creative and inspirational trine to Uranus. Such a strong Pluto would contribute towards her ability to have an influence on society. She also had a superficially charming Jupiter opposition a 10^th house Venus in Aquarius giving her an ability to turn on the smiles for the cameras and on stage.

  She was married for six years to the Supremes road manager and had three children, one of whom died in his teens in a road accident in which she was also injured.

  What is slightly spooky was the points when her natal Mars Saturn was triggered. Aged three she was sent away from home and at that point her Sun had moved by Solar Arc to square her Mars Saturn. When her sixteen year old son was killed in 1994, her Mars Saturn had moved by Solar Arc to conjunct her Moon. And now at her sudden death, her Solar Arc Mars Saturn was exactly square her Uranus (within a few minutes of a degree) and tr Neptune was exactly square her Mars Saturn.

  A talented, vibrant woman, she had her crosses to bear. 

Add On: Her love life was evidently riotous with affairs with Steve McQueen, Sir David Frost, film producer David (now Lord) Puttnam and Tom Jones. Tom Jones, 7 June 1970, she evidently said was ‘the one’ despite his Gemini Sun being conjunct her Mars Saturn; though his emotional and exuberant Venus Mars in Cancer trine her Sun would help. Their relationship chart did have an affectionate composite Sun Venus conjunction in a passionate square to Pluto and sextile a sparky Mars.  His wife according to reports ended the liaison.

  She had a famously tricky relationship with Diana Ross, lead singer with the Supremes who then went solo. Ross, born only three weeks later on 26 March 1944 11.48 am in Detroit, had the same ratchety Mars Saturn conjunction, which translated in the relationship chart into a composite Moon, Mars, Saturn – so an emotional conflict zone.

Please add below. Older posts under News on the top bar.

France along with everywhere else is struggling with the social and economic travails of the pandemic with the financial hangover likely to cast a pall over the next few years.

 The country has an exceptionally messy time ahead with a devastating and confused tr Pluto square their Neptune in 2022/23 leading into a perfect storm of difficulties in 2023 with a financially-blocked Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the France Venus; tr Pluto in a deprived/tough-conditions square to the Saturn. In 2023/24 as well tr Uranus will shake up the rebellious, disruptive Fixed T Square of Uranus opposition Pluto square Mars in Scorpio.

  That last influence was around for the German Invasion in 1940 but also around in 1856/57 for the reign of Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (1852 to 1870) the last monarch of France who modernised the French economy, rebuilt the centre of Paris, with similar projects in other cities, modernized the banking system, expanded and consolidated the railway system, and made the French merchant marine the second largest in the world. He promoted the building of the Suez Canal and established modern agriculture, which ended famines in France and made France an agricultural exporter. His social reforms included giving the right to strike. The first female students were admitted at the Sorbonne and educational opportunities for women were increased. He less helpfully over involved himself in wars overseas.  In general he did a good deal to make France more progressive.  So tr Uranus upending the Fixed T Square isn’t necessarily a disaster. Though clearly from the example of 1940 it can be.

  This time round it will be a wobbly road forward initially with a lacklustre tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun in 2024; though there’ll be an upbeat tr Pluto square the Jupiter at the same time.

  What is interesting are the relationship charts between France and the EU/Germany/Italy – and the UK in coming years. There’ll be tensions and outburst from this March onwards, building through 2022, with the worst of the aggravation and potential for splits coming in 2023. That’s when tr Uranus will oppose the composite Suns in the EU and Germany and UK relationship charts. Italy and France are in a state of disruption as well picking up in 2022. It won’t necessarily mean a collapse of the EU but it will be hugely disruptive with rolling upheavals, high tensions and significant differences.

  The ‘living in interesting times’ theme is going to roll on uncomfortably for a few years yet.

Add ON: The next election is April/May 2022 with Marine Le Pen, the far-right, anti-immigration, anti-EU populist, returning to the fray and polling just below Macron.

  Macron has tr Saturn moving through his lower profile, less successful First Quadrant (since December 2020) for several years ahead so not at his luckiest or most motivated. Tr Pluto will be sitting on his Ascendant for the election which comes in two parts, with a run off if there is no outright first round winner. This tends to go against the far right since the country is then faced with concerns about the national image and reverses towards the safer candidate. Macron does have tr Jupiter trine his Midheaven and tr Pluto sextile his Midheaven, both of which are supportive. But he’s also got the sudden change of tr Uranus exactly conjunct his Moon and opposition his Uranus. And Solar Arc Saturn within less than a degree to the conjunction with his Pluto, which is usually stuck.  

Le Pen has tr Saturn conjunct her Solar Arc Moon for a discouraging mood; and later in May a catastrophic tr Saturn opposition her Mars/Pluto midpoint. And thereafter she’s heading for a totally trapped and scary tr Pluto opposition her 10^th house Mars from early 2023 for two years.

  There may well be a more palatable third option nearer the time.

Congresswoman Liz Cheney, the third most senior Republican in the House, is standing by her vote to impeach Trump. And she has further suggested he be criminally investigated for provoking violence during the 6 January Capitol invasion, specifically for one tweet suggesting an attack on Mike Pence. Last week she survived an attempt to remove her from her leadership position and is defiant in the face of a vote of censure from her Wyoming Republican Party.

   She argues that the GOP will have lost its way if it doesn’t reject Trump’s brand of politics. She was one of just 10 House Republicans who joined Democrats in impeaching Trump for the charge of incitement of insurrection.

  Born 28 July 1966 in Washington, the daughter of George W Bush’s VP Dick Cheney, she practised international law, while immersing herself in state department roles. She’s reckoned a conservative and hawk on foreign policy.

  She has a Sun Mercury in Leo in a sensible trine to Saturn in late Pisces; with a passionately enthusiastic and pro-active Venus, Mars and Jupiter in Cancer trine Neptune, sextile Uranus Pluto in Virgo. A workaholic who’s willing to take risks. She’s very unlike her father – a Sun Aquarius opposition Pluto square Saturn Jupiter in Taurus – who is stubborn to the nth degree, a control freak and materialistic.

  She looks determinedly upbeat through this year and next with tr Pluto opposition her Sun/Jupiter midpoint. Though she’ll run into a few disasters from June/July onwards which will shake her self-assurance – these influences will be around on and off into early 2023. She doesn’t look on top form in 2024 with tr Neptune conjunct her Saturn. Though will bounce back to a resounding success and confidence surge around 2027/2028.