A historic week

This week I have been steeped in the story of Richard III.

Since reading Josephine Tey's book A Daughter of Time many years ago, I have always been convinced that Richard III was not the black-hearted villain painted by Shakespeare. Not that one can altogether blame Shakespeare. After all he was writing in Tudor times, when the Tudors were securely on the throne, and it would not have been prudent to show a Tudor enemy as a hero.

I have been following the story of the discovery of the skeleton for some time, as Amanda was involved with the launch of the new King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester.  The tussle between Leicester and York in the High Court was exciting.

On Sunday, the cortege, the simple coffin (made by the direct descendant of Richard III), the black horses and the outriders dressed as mounted medieval knights in armour processing through the streets of Leicester was a sight to behold.  The service which followed the handing over of the remains from Leicester University to the Cathedral clergy was long and impressive.  The sermon by Roman Catholic Cardinal Nicholls was well said, as at the time of Richard's death all England was Roman Catholic.

Yesterday I watched the ceremony of reinterment at Leicester Cathedral. It was a very moving service. The Bishop of Leicester and the Archbishop of Canterbury officiated, and a poem written for the occasion by the Poet Laureate was beautifully read by Benedict Cumberbatch. There were interviews with all the people who had been instrumental in bringing about this momentous event.

Over 20,000 people had queued up to see the coffin in the Cathedral during the week, and once again crowds of people had lined the streets to watch yesterday morning's proceedings. We really do ceremonies well in Britain.

There have always been power struggles over the Monarchy. Even in my lifetime, there was the abdication of Edward VIII, the talk of conspiracy theory over the death of Princess Diana, and now whether Prince Charles should be King on his mother's demise.  I suppose there always will be contentious opinions around people in power.

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt

An item on the radio programme "Today" held my attention this morning.  Alison Skilbeck was interviewed about her One Woman show about Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the former president of the United States.  The actress talked of Mrs. Roosevelt's visit to London in 1942.

During the Second World War, I worked as a Clerical Officer on shift duties in a small room in the basement of the Home Office in Whitehall.  This was the hub of Civil Defence for the U.K.  There were seven people on each shift, three C.O.s and a shorthand-typist (all girls) and three male Officers of the Watch.

We had many important visitors.  King George VI, Winston Churchill, John Winant, the U.S. ambassador and Chiefs of Staff, who came to discuss the bombing with the O.O.W.s.  I particularly remember Mrs. Roosevelt as she made a point of coming round to talk to me and to the other girls to ask us about our work and how we travelled to work in the air raids. Nobody had asked us this before. We were just expected to turn up regardless. I thought she was a most kind and gracious lady.

Baby Jack and his two Uncles

Last Saturday was a Red Letter Day.   My daughter-in-law had come from France  with my two young grandsons to stay in Folkestone for half-term and to visit my granddaughter and baby Jack  They all came to Hove for the day, which was lovely.

Today is a bright Spring morning with a promise of warmer weather to come.  We have seen the end of February Filldyke, as my mother used to call it!