Tag Archives: Queen

The Most Recent Reminder of Sexist Royal Title Protocols in the Royal Family

Title changes have been in store for several members of the royal family. But one member of the royal family has notably been left out.

Who’s Been Left Behind?

Buckingham Palace announced just recently that Prince Edward, the youngest son of the late Queen will now be known as the Duke of Edinburgh, a title previously held by Prince Phillip, the Queen’s late husband. Sophie, the former Countess of Wessex, is now the Duchess of Edinburgh, and their son, formerly James, Viscount Severn is now the Earl of Wessex, assuming his father’s title.

But someone’s missing here.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s nineteen-year-old daughter, Lady Louise Windsor doesn’t get a new title. This is because Dukedoms and Earldoms can only be passed down from father to son, leaving Lady Louise in the dust.

 Sexist royal rules have plagued Lady Louise for much longer than just this one instance, however. When her younger brother was born, he took her place in the line of succession because of male-preference primogeniture (which has since been replaced by absolute primogeniture with the birth of Princess Charlotte). And when he was born, he received the title of “Viscount Severn,” one of his father’s titles, when again, Lady Louise received nothing.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their children
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their children, the Earl of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor

It’s Time for Change

The royal family is symbol of history and tradition, and with this symbol comes the fact that A BUNCH of its title protocols are inherently sexist. The rules prohibiting Lady Louise from receiving the same titles as her brother aren’t the only ones keeping women from holding the same value as men in terms of titles.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, her husband wasn’t a king. Instead, he was known as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. This is because the title of “king” is considered higher than “queen” and the monarchy wanted to signal that Prince Philip’s rank was lower than the Queen’s. However, women can become Queen consorts when their husbands become Kings. This is the title that Camilla will officially receive when her husband, King Charles ascends the throne. The fact that “Queens” are ranked lower than “Kings” needs to change. Men should become known as King consorts to show that Queens are not ranked lower than their male counterparts.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip looking at each other
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip

And the only reason why Archie and Lilibet officially became “Prince Archie” and “Princess Lilibet” at the same time that the other title changes were announced is because of another sexist protocol. Only male-line grandchildren of the sovereign can use the titles of Prince and Princess. So if King Charles had a daughter, her children would not get royal titles even though her brothers’ children would.

Even further, when Princess Eugenie (one of the Queen’s grandchildren) got married to Jack Brooksbank, she became Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank, taking his name. But when Prince Harry (also one of the Queen’s grandchildren) and Meghan Markle got married just five months earlier, they became the “Duke and Duchess of Sussex.” Again, this is because of the fact that dukedoms and earldoms only get passed down to men, the same protocol affecting Lady Louise.

And these are just a few of the sexist title rules in the royal family. There are so many more outdated protocols that need to be changed if the royal family wants to maintain its popularity with the increasing equal rights movement in the UK.

With so many strong female figures in the royal family, from Queen Elizabeth who served in the British Army during World War II, to Meghan Markle, who might have encouraged Procter & Gamble to change its sexist tagline when she was just 11, it’s clear that it’s time for change. There’s no better time than now.

References:

Friel, M. (2020, October 13). The monarchy’s treatment of royal women from the Queen to Meghan Markle reveals a pattern of blatant sexism. Business Insider. https://www.insider.com/monarchy-treatment-women-queen-meghan-markle-reveals-blatant-sexism-2020-10

Matousek, M. (2017, December 1). Resurfaced video shows a young Meghan Markle asking Procter & Gamble to change a commercial with sexist undertones. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/meghan-markle-spoke-out-about-commercial-2017-11

Photos:

Cuthbert, M. (n.d.). [Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with family] [Photograph]. https://people.com/royals/prince-edward-sophie-countess-of-wessex-children/

Graham, T. (n.d.). [Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip] [Photograph]. https://www.redbookmag.com/love-sex/g32130664/queen-elizabeth-marriage-facts/

Parsons, S. (2021, July 4). [Royal Windsor Horse Show 2021] [Photograph]. https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/lady-louise-windsor-participates-in-the-champagne-laurent-news-photo/1233798867

Fashion, FAST! The Most Fashionable Royal Family Members

Whenever members of the royal family have any sort of outing, for better or for worse, fashion decisions are always at the forefront. Their styles are emulated by millions around the world who aim to look as prim and proper as true royalty. But ladies of the royal family take the cake for having the most iconic fashion senses. Today, Spilling the Royaltea is awarding rankings to the top three most stylish members of the royal family.

Bronze Medal: Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth, despite not being the most daring in her fashion choices, was known for her bright-coloured ensembles and signature handbags. As told by her daughter-in-law, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, the late Queen wore these neon outfits, from bright red to green, to everything in between so that her admirers could always spot her in a crowd. Being easily spottable meant that everyone who wanted to had the chance to easily say “I saw the Queen!” Aww… she did it for us!

Queen Elizabeth II's bright outfits. 7 different colours in the order of a rainbow.
Queen Elizabeth II’s rainbow of outfits

Silver Medal: Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton’s elegant style has her looking royal every time the camera is graced with the opportunity to catch a photo. Her fashion sense, although not always the boldest, is palatable to all, making her a global fashion icon. Her ability to pull off both designer brands and more affordable pieces from places like Zara caters to women all over the world.

Kate Middleton wearing a dress from Zara during a visit to the University of London for its Children of the 2020s project on October 5, 2021
Kate Middleton wearing a dress from Zara during a visit to the University of London for its Children of the 2020s project on October 5, 2021

She often wears coat dresses and pantsuits with simple prints, paired with classic jewelry pieces, creating timeless, impeccable ensembles. Just look at her!

Kate Middleton wearing a pink pastel suit at a meeting for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2022
Kate Middleton wearing a pink pastel suit at a meeting for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2022

Gold Medal: Princess Diana

Despite her tragic passing over twenty years ago, Princess Diana’s iconic, daring outfits have left their mark on us all. From her casual outfits of the 70s and 80s fashion to her beautiful, HUGE wedding dress, Princess Diana always had us guessing what she would choose next.

Princess Diana in her wedding dress
Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding dress

But what makes her take the cake as the most fashionable member of the royal family is her ICONIC revenge dress she wore after her husband, King Charles confessed on TV to committing adultery with the now Queen Consort, Camilla. The beautiful black off-the-shoulder gown screams “I don’t care about my husband and I don’t need him” and we’re here for it.

Princess Diana in her revenge dress
Princess Diana’s iconic revenge dress in June 1994

References:

Hernández, L. (2020, May 5). The 10 pieces that define Kate Middleton’s impeccable style. Hola. https://www.hola.com/us/fashion/20211021321791/kate-middleton-ten-key-wardrobe-pieces-1/

Nelson, B. (2023, February 13). The real reason Queen Elizabeth II wore neon outfits all the time. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/queen-elizabeth-neon-outfits/

Salmi, N. (2020, August 30). Princess Diana style: See her most iconic looks of all time. L’officiel. https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/princess-diana-style

Photos:

Fincher, J. (1994). [Princess Diana revenge dress]. [Photograph]. Getty Images. https://people.com/royals/princess-diana-revenge-dress-true-story/

Getty Images. (1981). [Wedding dress of Lady Diana Spencer] [Photograph]. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Princess_Diana_wedding_dress.png

GMA Photo Illustration. (2022). [Queen Elizabeth neon outfits] [Photo Illustration]. Getty Images. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/style/story/queen-elizabeth-iis-rainbow-wardrobe-96-year-monarch-63451126

I-Images/Pool. (2022). [Kate Middleton, June 2022] [Photograph]. https://katemiddletonstyle.org/pink-suit-early-years-meeting/

Tang, K. (2021). [Kate Middleton, October 5, 2021] [Photograph]. Getty Images. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a37866755/kate-middleton-rewears-zara-dress-london-university-visit/

Bohemian Rhapsody: An Exciting Film but Inaccurate Queen Tribute (79%)

Bohemian Rhapsody will have you stomping your feet and singing in theatres, but it may also leave you irritated if you’re a devoted Queen fan. The movie follows the formation of the band with a focus on Freddie Mercury, capturing their experimentation with music and successes on tour. The film focuses closely on Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) as he struggles with his sexuality.

Looking at Bohemian Rhapsody strictly as a film, it was an exciting movie worth seeing on the big screen. The beginning of the film and band formation felt rushed; the movie quickly moved from concert to concert, which was entertaining but had me worried there wouldn’t be much of a storyline. In the first 20-30 minutes of the film, I began to wonder if this movie was just an excuse to have a cast dress up as the band and recreate their biggest moments. Fortunately, this feeling subsided as the movie progressed and the writing became more comedic and emotional.

The film had a strong cast that helped build up these comedic and emotional scenes. Rami Malek made the concert scenes feel real and energetic, while also making Mercury’s loneliness evident and overwhelming. Malek also manages to make record deals seem hilarious, but the humour in these scenes should also be attributed to Mike Meyers. That’s right—Mike Myers has a cameo. He plays the EMI executive Ray Foster. Though Myers’ screen time is brief, it was memorable.

The main criticism I’ve been gathering about this film is that there are major inaccuracies that were simply added as a means of making the movie dramatic. I must admit, I love Queen’s music but I didn’t know much about Freddie Mercury or any of the band members. Without much knowledge of the band, I genuinely enjoyed the story. Refusing to standby blissfully ignorant, I searched online for the main causes of frustration. This article highlights the two main concerns: the timing of Mercury’s HIV diagnosis, and portraying Mercury as a villain for quitting to make a solo album. Perhaps this is just a good reminder that even “true stories” in Hollywood are often, well, not the most truthful. I still recommend seeing this movie in theatres, but don’t walk away thinking the events portrayed are factual.

The most accurate fact highlighted in this movie was probably Freddie Mercury’s love of cats…

*If you’re interested in Bohemian Rhapsody, you may also enjoy A Star Is Born.