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<\/a>King Henry VIII<\/p><\/div>\n
Much of the world was watching Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s<\/strong> funeral on TV \u2013 it is said to be the most watched event in the history of television.\u00a0 I watched some of it, but soon tired of the bagpipes and pomp that accompanied the ceremony of a truly magnificent queen.\u00a0 Queen Elizabeth II, may have been the longest reigning English monarch, but her reign was far from the most interesting.\u00a0 Yes, we’re wondering if Harry<\/strong> and William<\/strong> will patch things up between them, if the \u2018royal family\u2019 will ever really accept Megan, or if King Charles<\/strong> will ever be forgiven for his distant relationship with Diana<\/strong>.\u00a0 But if you think there is drama in today\u2019s royal family \u2013 this is nothing!!!<\/p>\n Here are a few ‘royals’ that Oprah<\/strong> would have given anything to interview back in the day.<\/p>\n I\u2019d say King Henry VIII<\/strong> is probably at the top of the list of \u2018most interesting monarchs\u2019. He took the thrown when he was only 17, six weeks later he married Catherine \u2018The Cougar\u2019 of Aragon<\/strong> \u2013 who was 23 and happened to be the widow of Henry\u2019s brother, Arthur. \u00a0She was the daughter of Spain\u2019s Queen Isabella I<\/strong> and King Ferdinand II<\/strong>, and their marriage was an arrangement to strengthen the English-Spanish alliance.\u00a0 Like a good king\u2019s wife, she bore him three sons and three daughters, unfortunately all were stillborn except one girl – who would become Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary)<\/strong> \u2013 another great interview for Oprah.<\/p>\n Those who have a smattering of English monarch knowledge know some of the history of the five wives that ensued, each with their own story.\u00a0 Although some of Henry\u2019s wives lost their heads, several of the marriages were annulled, with Henry breaking from the Catholic church and forming the Church of England<\/strong>.\u00a0 Additionally, Henry was known as the \u2018Father of the Royal Navy\u2019<\/strong> \u2013 starting the dominance of England on the seas, that lasted for centuries.\u00a0 There is so much more, but let\u2019s move on.<\/p>\n The ‘Virgin (?) Queen’<\/p><\/div>\n Two years before Anne\u00a0<\/strong>Boleyn, Henry’s<\/b>\u00a0second wife, was beheaded, she and Henry had a girl, which he essentially disowned after the beheading because she was not a male.\u00a0 Henry\u2019s sixth wife, Catherine Parr<\/strong>, encouraged Henry to bring the daughter back into the fold, which he did.\u00a0 She, Queen Elizabeth I,<\/strong> became one of England\u2019s most accomplished monarchs.\u00a0 She was called the \u2018Virgin Queen\u2019, although we\u2019re not sure about that, but we do know that she never married.<\/p>\n Back to Elizabeth\u2019s first cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots<\/strong>, a Catholic, who many thought should be the Queen of England.\u00a0 Her relationship with Elizabeth was rocky, at best, in fact ultimately Queen Elizabeth had her imprisoned for 19 years!\u00a0<\/strong> After her release, Mary was plotting to overthrow Elizabeth to become Queen of England, but Elizabeth found out and had her beheaded.\u00a0 Oops!\u00a0 Elizabeth\u2019s reign was looked at as \u2018The Golden Age\u2019<\/strong> of British history, both in exploration with Sir Francis Drake<\/strong> and Sir Walter Raleigh<\/strong>, as well as literature, with William Shakespeare<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Plump ‘Queen Victoria’<\/p><\/div>\n Then there is Victoria<\/strong>, the 18-year-old, 4 foot 11, portly queen, who married her first cousin, Prince Albert<\/strong>.\u00a0 They had nine children and she sat on the throne for 63 years<\/strong>, (obviously a very sturdy throne!) a record broken by Queen Elizabeth II, who was her great, great granddaughter.\u00a0 But the record for all<\/em> monarchs is held by Louis XIV of France<\/strong>, who took the throne at 4 years old and served for just over 72 years. \u00a0They say, \u201cLong live the king\u201d, but Charles would have to live to be 145 to break Louis\u2019 record!<\/p>\n And who can forget King George III<\/strong>, the king who married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz<\/strong>, a German, whom he met on their wedding day?\u00a0 Their marriage lasted . . . are you ready for it?\u00a0 Got ya!\u00a0 Fifty-seven years!!!\u00a0 They had 15 children!\u00a0 We, here in the colonies, of course, know George then best, along with the ineptness of the Earl of Sandwich<\/strong>, for losing the Revolutionary War<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Oprah would have had a field day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Bob Sparrow Much of the world was watching Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s funeral on TV \u2013 it is said to be the most watched event in the history of television.\u00a0 I watched some of it, but soon tired of the … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Elizabeth2.jpg\")
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