Royal Visit to the USA

[Chas]

It is my belief that this mixing of black and brown stems from Prince Philip. He took up carriage driving soon after his marriage to Her Majesty. The horses and carriages being then available to him. The vast majority of the Queen's horses are brown and the way of it is that brown horses have black (or very, very dark brown) manes and tails.

All competitors in carriage driving have livery colours for their grooms (1 sitting next to the driver and 2 hanging on at the back). If memory serves, there was some controversy at the time as to what livery colours Prince Philip could or should use. He couldn't use the Royal livery colours, so he had to opt for something else. Nor would it have been acceptable for him to use the Danish or the Greek Royal livery colours.

In the end the livery colours were chosen as Black and Brown - to match the horses. I have seen Prince Philip driving at the Championships at Sandringham, with his head groom and two hanging grooms wearing a mixture of brown and black. If I am remembering correctly all the browns were the same shade - not a mixture of tans and ox-blood and light and dark.

Regards

Chas

[wildrover]

He took up carriage driving...

Had to YouTube that one...I had visions of Cinderella, mixed with Baja, barstool racing, and Ben Hur.

Interesting sport. Looks like fun.

Jock et al, don't worry overmuch about what people think or say over here . Some people seem to yearn for bygone days of colonies and royal fealty, others go to highland games and sling over their backs what appear to be ornate BBQ spits, there are still others with a near Rastafarian or cargo-cultist take on highland attire, tradition, and the British royal family, but I think most just see a visiting notable who's giving a nod to a cultural gathering focused on a culture he may, in part, represent.

No big deal. I could get my kilt knotted up around my landing gear every time someone says "The Colonies", but...is it that big a deal? A bit of unthinking insensitivity or misplaced romanticism isn't going to stop me from downing a beer with the next guy, so long as he keeps it real . Granted, I might look sideways at somebody who's adopted a faux-Brit accent in their "great kilt", complete with BBQ spit, huge furry boots and blue paint...but they are (fortunately) the exception.

So, you all really figure the guy is going to show up? It'd be cool if he did...tho I have to admit, I'm skeptical.

-Sean

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

So, you all really figure the guy is going to show up? It'd be cool if he did...tho I have to admit, I'm skeptical.

-Sean

As Jock has said, baring some unforeseen last minute circumstance, HRH Prince Edward will attend the Greenville Scottish Games on May 28-29 of this year. The invitation to attend the games was extended to HRH in 2008, and preparations for his visit began in 2009. These preparations included changing the date of the games to avoid pre-existing commitments already on HRHs schedule for June of 2010.

"The Prince is attending the Games in his capacity as the chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards. The Greenville Scottish Games actively supports the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and HRH will present awards to a number of young people who have qualified for either the bronze, silver, or gold award."

[wildrover]

As Jock has said, baring some unforeseen last minute circumstance, HRH Prince Edward will attend the Greenville Scottish Games on May 28-29 of this year. The invitation to attend the games was extended to HRH in 2008, and preparations for his visit began in 2009. These preparations included changing the date of the games to avoid pre-existing commitments already on HRHs schedule for June of 2010.

"The Prince is attending the Games in his capacity as the chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards. The Greenville Scottish Games actively supports the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and HRH will present awards to a number of young people who have qualified for either the bronze, silver, or gold award."

Right on!

So...what are these awards?

[Jock Scot]

Right on!

So...what are these awards?

I am no expert on this.These awards go from bronze, silver and gold and they are specifically designed to test young people from about the age of thirteen to about twenty. They do good works, map reading ,cross country hikes to varying standards and things like that.The disabled are encouraged to take part with specifically designed tasks to achieve. These awards have to be earned and they are not given lightly.They are highly thought of in this country. I am sure if you googled for details there will be pages about it all.

[EagleJCS]

Right on!

So...what are these awards?

I was just reading about these awards yesterday. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold - in that order) is an award from the Scout Association. Roughly the equivalent of the Venture awards (Bronze, Gold, Sliver) in the Boy Scouts of America.

From the website:

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a voluntary, non-competitive programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities, designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14-25, regardless of gender, background or ability. It offers an individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake exciting, constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time.

It is a five-Section Programme with three progressive levels:

Bronze (for those aged 14 and over)
Silver (for those aged 15 and over) and
Gold (for those aged 16 and over).

The sections involve:

Volunteering (helping other people in the local community)
Expeditions (training for, planning and completing a journey on foot or horseback, by boat or cycle)
Skills (covering almost any hobby, skill or interest)
Physical (sport, dance and fitness)
Residential (Gold Award only) (a purposeful enterprise with people not previously known to the participant)

Regarding security - I'm sure the US federal government will have a hand in the mix somewhere (as liason to the locals for example), since HRH is a high-ranking foreign dignitary. They will probably leave most of the arrangements for the "up close" stuff up to the British security folks since they're more familiar with HRH's behavior, and vice versa.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

It is my belief that this mixing of black and brown stems from Prince Philip. He took up carriage driving soon after his marriage to Her Majesty. The horses and carriages being then available to him. The vast majority of the Queen's horses are brown and the way of it is that brown horses have black (or very, very dark brown) manes and tails.

All competitors in carriage driving have livery colours for their grooms (1 sitting next to the driver and 2 hanging on at the back). If memory serves, there was some controversy at the time as to what livery colours Prince Philip could or should use. He couldn't use the Royal livery colours, so he had to opt for something else. Nor would it have been acceptable for him to use the Danish or the Greek Royal livery colours.

In the end the livery colours were chosen as Black and Brown - to match the horses. I have seen Prince Philip driving at the Championships at Sandringham, with his head groom and two hanging grooms wearing a mixture of brown and black. If I am remembering correctly all the browns were the same shade - not a mixture of tans and ox-blood and light and dark.

Regards

Chas

Actually, HRH Prince Phillip's carriages are painted in the older livery colours of murrey and black (the previous livery colours being lake and black and the present livery colours being more of a claret and black). Murrey is a sort of mulberry colour, which under certain light conditions appears to be almost brown. HM The Queen Mother favoured the older murrey on the sides of her Daimler cars during the whole of her lifetime.

Meaning no offense, but I somehow suspect that the wearing of black shoes and brown sporrans probably pre-dates Edinburgh's having taken up carriage driving.

[macwilkin]

No offense to the Prince, who is probably an excellent fellow, but this thread reminds me of why I don't much like posting here any more.

Me too, I don't get the attraction.
Although threads like this let me get a workout, exercising my withstraint.

And it is posts like these that are making me contemplate the same thing. Respect is a two-way street. It may not be your thing, but snarky comments are not necessary. If you don't like the thread, don't read it.

T.

[Paul]

And it is posts like these that are making me contemplate the same thing. Respect is a two-way street. It may not be your thing, but snarky comments are not necessary. If you don't like the thread, don't read it.

T.

Whilst I feel both of the members you quoted showed a great deal of restraint in their comments, I feel their views are important, especially if they are going to dilute them for the purpose of not offending anyone.
If people are jumping in saying "great", these guys should also be able to voice a belief that it isn't that big a deal to them.

[macwilkin]

It's not worth arguing about. I withdraw my comments.

T.