Category Archives: Royal Family

antiwar, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Rants: Critiques of the monarchy, Social Justice

For peace and more democracy: An alternative to the royal, Diamond Jubilee

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Our humble thoughts as Americans who are peace and justice activists is below.

For those readers who are subjects of the Queen, and/or understand the monarchy better than we do, you may want to attend the Occupy London event on June 3rd, and/or read these articles from the English press:

from The Newser
Anti-Monarchists Gear Up to Derail Queen’s Jubilee

from The Independent UK
The case for a republic is as strong now as it has always been

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On this Diamond Jubilee weekend, the (whimsical) Duke and Duchess of Peace call for an alternative to monarchy

The Peace Couple contemplate The Peace Pole
The Duke and Duchess of Peace

Peace Couple was born partly out of this idea: In our current culture of war and militarism, institutions such as the monarchy are used to gloss over war, and to co-opt the powerful energy of community story-telling towards a constant background banter for accumulated wealth and constant war.

So, while we wish Queen Elizabeth well as a person, we are not excited to see the English Monarchy — an institution of royalty, power, and privilege descending from the happenstance of birth — still existing in our world. Continue reading For peace and more democracy: An alternative to the royal, Diamond Jubilee →

Fashion, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Fashion

Got royal wedding fever?: Alternative eye candy…

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The Duke and Duchess of Peace have devoted their lives to working for nonviolence and a world without war. They believe that the nature of other royal systems is ultimately to glamorize the military and/or to distract people from politics and real life with visions of celebrity.

So, Duke Augustus and Duchess Susanna would ask people to turn their attention away from the wedding of Zara Phillip’s (Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter) and Mike Tindall, and turn their attention towards their own families, their own cultural excitement, and/or political problems in their own communities. Continue reading Got royal wedding fever?: Alternative eye candy… →

Royal Family, Royal Fashion

Take out your own wedding photos…

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Favor Cake for wedding, with 40 carton boxes a...
Image via Wikipedia

Susanna, Duchess of Peace writes:

Watching the Royal Family, and the extended royal family, in the media is a kind of celebrity worship, that captures our attention from more important issues, such as what is happening to our own family, or our own community.

So, unless you happen to be a blood relative of the Mountbatten-Windsor clan (or family to groom and rugby player Mike Tindall), I hope you will not give too much attention to the latest royal wedding happening in Scotland on July 30th. Continue reading Take out your own wedding photos… →

Fashion, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Fashion, Royal Tour

News: Duchess wears mother-in-law’s jewelry

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Royal Jewels

In the corporate media, you can find a lot of stories about the fact that Prince William has gifted Duchess Catherine with blue earrings which once belonged to her mother-in-law, Princess Diana. These earrings match Princess Diana’s sapphire and diamond ring, which has been much celebrated as the former Kate Middleton’s engagement ring.

Susanna, Duchess of Peace would like to take this opportunity to show off her own blue ring, which once belonged to her mother-in-law. It is a memento the Duchess wears to remind herself of her mother-in-law’s life of service to the environment and community, and a ring which the Duchess wears to glorify the idea of peace and re-using.

The Duke and Duchess of Peace are concerned with the way that royalty — in the present, and historically — have been used to cover-up war, and even to glorify and prettify the military. It is sad that half the world is obsessed with the image of Duchess Catherine’s Continue reading News: Duchess wears mother-in-law’s jewelry →

Music, Nonviolence, Nonviolent Communication, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Song of The Day, Royal Tour

Royal Song of the Day: Saturday 7/16/2011

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“Singing For Our Lives” is the Royal Song of the Day. This song, written by Holly Near, can be found on page 218 of Rise Up Singing.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbXq0oU5osg]

Reflections on “gentle anger” by Duchess Susanna: Continue reading Royal Song of the Day: Saturday 7/16/2011 →

Music, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Fashion, Royal Song of The Day, Royal Tour, Video

“Mothers, Daughters, Wives”: Peace Song for 7/14/2011

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“Mothers, Daughters, Wives” by Judy Small is the Royal Song of the Day. The lyrics can be found at Rise Up Singing, page 162.

Below is a heart-wrenching version by “The Corries”

Excerpt:

The first time it was fathers, the last time it was sons
And in between your husbands, marched away with guns & drums
And you never thought to question, you just went on with your lives
‘Cause all they’d taught you who to be was mothers, daughters, wives

Susanna, Duchess of Peace, tells more about today’s choice: Continue reading “Mothers, Daughters, Wives”: Peace Song for 7/14/2011 →

Fashion, Nonviolence, Peace, Royal Family, Royal Fashion, Royal Rants: Critiques of the monarchy, Royal Song of The Day, Royal Tour, Video

Royal Peace Song of The Day: “Little Boxes” made of ticky tacky

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Duchess Susanna writes: It amazes me the way that some people will go out and buy exactly the same dress, in exactly the same color, that Duchess Catherine (aka Kate Middleton) wore somewhere. For my own sense of independence and dignity, I would at least want to pick a different color. Though, the exact ones modeled by the princess are the exact ones that get sold out and crash websites.

The idea of all of these women strolling around Great Britain and the United States in the same dress reminded me of what my departed friend, Susan Blake, called “the monoculture”. And, it reminded me of the Malvina Reynolds song “Little Boxes”. The song “Little Boxes” is The Royal Peace Song of the Day. It is can be found on page 2 in Rise Up Singing. (Favorite campfire song book of The Duke and Duchess of Peace.) Continue reading Royal Peace Song of The Day: “Little Boxes” made of ticky tacky →