is not de rigeur (oops went into Mrs Bouquet mode,). Start again…
It is not done to openly discuss the contents of a letter or conversation with the Queen of the Commonwealth, but I want you to know that all correspondence to Queen Elizabeth is received, attended to by her Staff, who bring to the Queen’s attention what is practicable. And the Queen replies.
No honestly! I have a letter from Her Majesty’s Lady in Waiting * stating that my beloved Queen Elizabeth has actually read -and commented upon, a printed version of this story: A Pirate Weddin.g I cannot pretend not to still be thrilled, and very touched.
Especially since the Queen has commented that she “hoped Ainslie had recovered from her accident.” How lovely is that?
I badly wanted to cheer The Queen up and just brighten her day by showing that something positive was going on, so I sent her the story behind the symbolic planting of a tree – at a pirate themed wedding!
I sent it in an informal format to cheer her up, not only to prove that we in the Antipodes were not only taking notice of our Queen’s Iniative but implementing them in our own Australian way, one tree at a time.
The Queen ideally wants us to plant forests to help the environment, and we want to, but there is a drought on.
Up to date we have now planted hree olive trees on a property at Brandy Hill, NSW, Australia, where they are already bearing olives to provide fruit, fuel, shade, olive oil of course, and refuge. Not only from the sun,
Refuge,? Well…when baby Samuel .. was born into this Covid-19 world in October 2020 at 34 weeks he soon showed he is a survivor. He has come into a hard world. His Grandmother, Ainslie – my Godaughter, the reason for the original story – and I decided to give him one of the newly planted trees I had been growing on my patio, and that were now joining ‘The Queen’s tree’ in what is now referred to by me as ‘The Queen’s Olive Grove”. It will bear a plaque when it is bigger. Olive trees can grow for 1000 years. Sam has been born into a difficult time. This tree is a symbol of refuge. Somewhere to go when he needs to.
Sam (pictured at two days old) will always (or as long as the property is in the family) have a spot he can call his own; a quiet shady place to sit; a tree to hug; a tree to climb; olives to eat;olive wood to carve. Just a spot on this earth that knows him, or is that getting too hippy? Anyway we like it. Ainslie now plans to plant a tree for each newborn member of .their family, so the Queen may eventually have another (slightly unofficial) plantation to include in her Commonwealth Canopy Initiative!
I also have a personal reason for wanting to support Queen Elizabeth, and I’m not being pretentious.
She doesn’t know that I am a direct descendant through my Grandmother to Jock Howieson who saved King James V of Scotland in the 1500’s. (See my other story from the link)
And here I am. Doing it my way. Defending my Monarch and any direct member of the Monarch’s family from attack whenever necessary! (I do draw the line). But mainly hoping to cheer her up. Just saying.
The story of how my ancestor reportedly saved and befriended King James V of Scotland, etc. There are a lot of us linked to this story after the centuries. A fun story (originally by Sir Walter Scott). The outcome being that the Howieson clan is honour-bound by decree to provide rest and hospitality to the reigning monarch whenever required.
Ifor the story of my ancestor, Jock Howieson go to: Family Link to Jock Howieson/King James V
* From Google:The phrase Lady-in-Waiting to The Queen has been used in formal documents to denote which of the Women is actually “on duty” at any one time.
Mee Memoirs -and other stuff 