It is time for the seemingly traditional catch-up of events on Planet Ratcliffe. I really have no idea how the diary update falls so far behind, but every summer time it happens. It has, as always been busy - holiday breaks, short breaks and birthdays as well as the usual more local visits take their toll. Grab a cuppa and a biscuit or two and we’ll get going… Summer recess kicked off at the end of July, so off we went to the Isle of Wight for a week’s stay. It was warm and dry, and sunny. Jenny, Layla and I went with Wendy, Jenny’s Mum. We revisited a few favourites - the Isle of Wight Steam Train, Amazon World and The Needles. We found new places too - Carisbrooke Castle particularly stands out. We spent time at Osborne House which, although it was lovely did not “Wow” us in the same way that say, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Hampton Court does. The Island was dry following a long dry, sunny and hot spell and a hosepipe ban was scheduled <more details and photos here > 11 August. We celebrated Jenny’s birthday with a day trip to The Warner Brothers Studio and The World of Harry Potter. This is a good (but pricey) day out but it does give a very good idea of what is involved when transferring a fantasy story to the Big Screen. There are many sets from the interior of Hogwarts, Wild Wood, Gringotts Bank, Diagem Alley and Privet Drive, literally thousands of props and costumes, and the show stopping miniature of Hogwarts School. Butterbeer is available, as well as ice cream. <more details and photos here> On 13 August, we used our English Heritage membership to take a look at Dover Castle. One of my favourites I admit, with 1000+ years of Roman to Second World War history. It was a very hot day, but the Underground War Tunnels and Hospital kept us out of the heat for a while. It is a great site. <more details and photos here> 25 – 27 August. A couple of weeks later, Jenny and I spent a couple of enjoyable days in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Family members were not in residence or were working, so we spent the time paying respects at the graves. We spent the Friday pottering around the Derbyshire Dales and landed at Bakewell to sample some tart. <more details and photos here> On Sunday 28 August, we had a day at the Oxted & Edenbridge Show. As always it was a good one. Cattle and livestock, old agricultural vehicles and other rural pursuits were on display. <more details and photos here> 30 August brought another trip to one of our favourites, RHS Wisley. <more details and photos here> The following week, the sad news was announced that Queen Elizabeth II had died aged 96 while at Balmoral on her “summer break”. As most people around the globe, we were shocked as she had always been there during our lifetime, and we had known no different. After serving Great Britain and the Commonwealth for seventy years, being a Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, Elizabeth could now rest and be at peace once again with her own mother and father, sister Margaret and beloved husband Philip. While these are sad times, particularly for her family, it was to be honest fascinating to see how the monarchy carries on and Charles became king. Queen Elizabeth was a remarkable and very well-respected lady. As France’s President Macron said “To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen” The passing of duties and proclamations of the new King, Charles III have been fascinating and of course, historic. Most of us have never even thought about what things might be like after Elizabeth II and she was a great constant presence. The pomp and ceremony have been impeccable. “The Queue” was certainly indicative of the feeling for Her Majesty. The State Funeral on 19 September was stunning and filled with so much meaning. Princess Anne, The Princess Royal has been a stalwart throughout. She was with her mother at Balmoral before and as she passed away, and then accompanying the Queen to Edinburgh, then to Buckingham Palace, on to The Palace of Westminster to Lay in State and finally to Westminster Abbey and finally to Windsor. Charles, as the new monarch has had to balance duty and personal loss, and I think he has been a credit to his parents. “The Queen is Dead, Long Live the King” A couple of days before the State Funeral, Jenny and I popped for stroll around Wisley, which was lovely as always. The Royal Horticultural Society had put a Book of Condolence at the entrance, into which I wrote some words of thanks. It seemed to hit me at that moment what the Queen’s passing meant to me (coupled with the fact that both Elizabeth and my Mum had become very frail recently but still had a mischievous twinkle in their eye). Some tears flowed, and I just felt that the few words that I had written were nowhere near enough to thank Elizabeth for her 70 years of service and duty. Thank you Ma’am. <I have cobbled together a gallery of photos here> There are more details and photos of Jenny and my stroll around Wisley <here> In other news…
Summer has been replaced by Autumn at Ratcliffe Towers. Darker evenings with a chill in the air are becoming the norm once more. That is all for now, Adieu...
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