Why would you turn up at a family lunch to greet a new incomer who has an African-American mother with a blackamoor brooch on? Princess Michael of Kent has never gone out of her way to be likeable but that is a faux pas of astonishing proportions. (Photo credit: Mark Cuthbert)
Born 15 January 1945 of German-Hungarian descent with a Nazi father, she married Prince Michael, the first cousin of the Queen, after her first marriage to a banker was annulled by the Vatican.
She’s a Sun Capricorn trine Jupiter; with a fairly hard-edged and definitely unsentimental chart. A cool, opinionated Air Grand Trine of Neptune in Libra trine Uranus trines her Aquarius Moon which opposes Pluto; and she has a resentful Mars in Capricorn opposition Saturn square Neptune.
Neither Prince Charles nor Prince Harry look enamoured of her this month; though Charles is more resigned at being tied to her by duty. Though that may not survive as the Queen’s influence fades. Even HM herself is looking seriously disappointed in her with perhaps ructions come the spring. As I understand the Kents still live in Kensington Palace with the Queen presumably footing the bill.
The other Royal ladies certainly dislike Princess Michael with Kate more aggravated than usual this month with her; and she sets Camilla‘s teeth on edge, with more tensions coming towards 2019.
Not that her relationship with Prince Michael is that easy either, since her Saturn is conjunct his Jupiter Sun in Cancer dampening his enthusiasm and joie de vivre; with her argumentative Mars in opposition; her Mars and Sun in Capricorn fall in his financial 2nd house (go figure), his Mars (Pluto) probably opposes her Moon, and her Uranus is in his 7th. He does have Saturn Uranus on his Descendant so was always likely to pick a fairly contradictory and autocratic partner who was hard work.
As a decent human being, I am offended by this type of jewelry. It doesn’t matter if a black person says he or she is not offended, it doesn’t change the fact that this type of art is offensive to all people of conscience. “Blackamoor imagery in general reflects trends in decorative arts that recall the history of slaves in Europe and the disturbing manner in which the European luxury culture objectified black bodies as mere ornament,” wrote news site The Root of the luxury brand’s controversial collection in 2012. Further, this style of art/jewelry fetishizes black people and romanticizes slavery.
If I were queen I’d round up as many homeless people as I could find and put them up in all of my palaces and create some authentic Xmas spirit, based on goodwill to all and peace. And maybe the sundry parasites and hangers on could do the cooking and washing up. ” Imagine all the people….”….
FFS, people are getting offended because it’s fashionable. This is artisan jewelry that celebrates that one of the magi at Christmas was a black king. But because everyone wants to be offended instead of learning facts, a mountain is being made out of a molehill. Btw, I am a black woman so no need for mudslinging.
Thank you so much for this sensible amd balanced remark, Eudoxia! People get offended. by just about anything one wants to say or do these days as if we all have to agree with prevailing social mores …i.e. we have to like it or shut up.
I agree people get hysterical over not very much nowadays. But this does seem to me fairly pointed from Princess Michael who has form over racism. At the very least it was extraordinarily tone deaf.
Blackamoor jewellery was first created in Venice in the 16th Century to depict Saracen pirates who were essentially Arab. And it then became fashionable to depict exotically-dressed black servants in jewellery, or in household artefacts as tray-holders or half-size symbolic footmen flanking a front door. Nowadays because of the overtones of colonialism and slavery it has fallen out of favour. I’ve never heard of it referring to one of the three Magi.
If I were the Queen, I’d boot them from that posh apartment at Kensington and give it to Harry & Meghan. What makes me happiest is that once they are married, Princess Michael will have to curtsy to Meghan every single time she sees her as she was far surpass her in the hierarchy.
The Church of England was founded by a tyrant who wanted a divorce. He had a second divorce and murdered two wives for doing or maybe doing what he did. Like most kings he was likely a serial rapist. Luckily the bride to be is a strong, affectionate and sensitive person.