Photographer: Mario Testino
Blogging about the Royals as a rule is not my piece of cake, but thought to do it today as the sun is out, it’s a wonderful day – a-picnic-in-the-park-day- after the horrible weather the past two weeks [and at least there’s some chess involved too]. Official photos of William and Kate have been released.[only two – very stingy of them, I think] Comparing the couple to Charles and Diana [when they got engaged], I would say they look more mature and confident. Diana looked more like the submissive-type of person than Kate – or is it my imagination? I’m not a huge fan of the Royals. When I was a child – about age 9-11, I was a fan of the Dutch Royal House. My mum used to have a book about the Dutch Royal family and I loved paging and reading through the book every now and then.
Charles and Diana – with the announcement of their engagement.
Chess and the British Royals
By reading an article on the site of Chess History – I might take a guess and say that William might enjoy a game of chess too – and hopefully, Kate as well – to support the future king-to-be. [hehe] He hasn’t got a choice actually, he needs to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers [lol] to show l[r]oyalty to the game [hehe].Following quotes from Edward Winter’s site: chesshistory.
Victoria (1819-1901):
On page 74 of the Chess Player’s Chronicle, 1842 a correspondent, ‘H.N., Charter House’, asked: ‘Is not chess an amusement much in vogue with the courtly throng of Buckingham House? and may not her Majesty be numbered among the votaries of Caissa?’ The published reply was: ‘Chess is frequently played at the palace, and not uncommonly by the Queen herself.’
Edward VII (1841-1910):
From page 131 of Lasker’s Chess Magazine, January 1906, page 131:
‘King Edward, we are told, is developing an enthusiasm for chess. In that case, says a writer in Tid-Bits, he is only following in the steps of many of his predecessors on the throne …
Read more on THIS LINK on the site of Chess-History by Edward Winter.
Page 158 of CHESS, 24 December 1954 published a photograph of a game of chess being played by ‘the young sons of the Duke of Gloucester, the Queen’s uncle’, i.e. Prince Richard (born 1944) and Prince William (1941-1972).
Image: chesshistory.com – The young sons of the Duke of Gloucester, the Queen’s uncle, play chess. Prince Richard [left] and the 12 year old Prince William…
Chessalee 