Tea at Trianon

Secret Numbers and Royal Betrayal: Queen Henrietta Maria’s Coded Letters to King Charles I in 1642

2026-10-28T02:00:00.000-04:00

From The Writing Desk:

How a queen’s secret correspondence helped sustain the Royalist cause as England descended into civil war.
One of the challenges in writing about the English Civil War is the number of ‘rabbit holes’ to distract me. One example is exploring the wealth of secret correspondence between the king and queen.
In the summer of 1642, England faced catastrophe. King Charles I and Parliament reached an impasse, armies gathered, and Queen Henrietta Maria was in The Hague, working to raise money and secure the weapons her husband desperately needed. The problem was a letter could be intercepted, its contents exposed, and the information used against the Crown.
Henrietta Maria and Charles relied on secret codes or ‘ciphers’. Their letters were more than messages between husband and wife. They were full of information about money, military supplies, diplomatic negotiations and people whose loyalties might determine the outcome of the coming war.
As part of my research into this I bought a copy of the original letters from Queen Henrietta Maria to Charles I, including correspondence written in ciphers. These letters provide a fascinating glimpse into a secret world, hidden behind an apparently meaningless string of numbers. (Read more.)

Strengthening Social Security for Future Generations

2026-10-28T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Stone Cold Truth:

For years, certain free-market conservatives have dismissed Social Security as a bankrupt, compulsory government Ponzi scheme. They pointed to demographics, political raiding of the trust funds, and a worker-to-beneficiary ratio that has collapsed from over 40-to-1 in the early decades to under 3-to-1 today. The actuarial math looked grim enough that those critics appeared headed for vindication.
Trustees reports have long projected the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance trust fund’s exhaustion in the early 2030s. After that point, incoming payroll taxes would cover only about 78 percent of scheduled benefits. That trajectory has shifted under President Trump.
Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano, a trustee of the system, has stated plainly that the program “will be around for another 90 years.”
“This is a long journey. It’s 90 years old, and it’ll be around for another 90 years,” he said. “The president has promised to protect and preserve and that’s what we’re doing.”
The change rests on concrete actions. These include stronger anti-fraud measures, tax relief for seniors, and—most fundamentally—a growing economy that generates the revenue any safety net requires.
President Trump eliminated federal income taxes on Social Security for the vast majority of beneficiaries through the One Big Beautiful Bill. This delivered the largest tax break for seniors in history and fulfilled a core campaign promise. Roughly 88 to 90 percent of recipients will now pay no federal tax on their benefits, keeping more of what they earned through decades of work. This is not merely relief. It reinforces the program’s legitimacy as a return on contributions rather than a pure transfer. (Read more.)

The Cultural History of ‘The Addams Family’

2026-10-28T00:00:00.000-04:00

From 2019 in Smithsonian:

In the summer of 1938, a determined salesman dropped in on a haunted mansion to peddle his “vibrationless, noiseless” vacuum doubling as both a “great time and a back saver” that “no well-appointed home should without.” It was a single-panel cartoon on page nine of The New Yorker fetching the author a tidy $85 sum. It introduced the world to an unnamed brood that will, once again, be returning to the big screen on Friday.
Mysterious and spooky and all together ooky, the Addams Family is back, this time as an animated big screen version to deliver Halloween frights for young fans meeting them anew and for old-timers who remember the original cartoons hatched in the twisted mind of artist Charles Addams. Throughout their various iterations, the family has cemented itself in the mausoleum of pop horror culture history, which to some degree is strange within itself. Unlike Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, or any of the machete-wielding madmen at the multiplex, the Addamses have been both surprisingly difficult to forget but equally challenging to bring back to life. How exactly did they find themselves in this kooky situation? Let’s fire up the Packard V-12 hearse and take a spin down Memory (0001 Cemetery) Lane...(Read more.)

Rosary of Marie-Antoinette

2026-10-27T02:00:00.000-04:00

From NCR:

Marie Antoinette had given the rosary to an Irish missionary priest, Father Henry Essex Edgeworth, otherwise known as Abbé Edgeworth, who was then chaplain to her husband, King Louis XVI. When the king was guillotined in January 1793, Abbé Edgeworth fled to England for safety and took refuge at the home of the Earl of Shrewsbury. Abbé Edgeworth eventually returned to France to continue his missionary work and left the rosary with the Shrewsbury family. It was then handed down through the generations, eventually ending up with Mary Fortescue-Turville, a previous owner of Bosworth Hall who died at the property in 1906. The rosary, one of several Marie Antoinette is thought to have given away, was then kept at the hall and has remained there ever since. (Read more.)

Marie-Antoinette receiving Holy Communion in prison

Lawsuit Against Amendment #1 Moves Forward

2026-10-27T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance:

Victoria Cobb published on October 26, 2026
“Late last week, our case challenging the legality of the proposed Abortion Amendment just got a big boost. The Tazewell Circuit Court denied the Commonwealth’s motions that sought to prevent our hearing from going forward the week after the election if the Abortion Amendment passes. Now, our FFLC attorneys will be in court on November 13 fighting this Amendment.
Please be in prayer for our legal team, and consider giving to help fund our lawsuit!
On behalf of our clients, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Virginia Medical Freedom Alliance, and Meagan Kade, FFLC is asking the court for a preliminary injunction to prevent the certification of the election results. Our lawsuit alleges that the proposed amendment is procedurally defective and that the question posed to voters on the ballot is deceptive. (Learn more about the case here.) The hearing will be presided over by Judge Hurley, who made headlines earlier this year after he ruled that the redistricting amendment was unconstitutional on similar grounds.
According to Josh Hetzler, Executive Director of FFLC, “We are excited for the opportunity to get into court right after the election, if necessary. Not only would this proposed abortion amendment be a disaster for policy reasons, but it would also undermine trust in our democratic processes because of the flawed and deceptive means by which it will have passed. We cannot allow that to happen.”
And in other news, last week our legal team also filed a lawsuit in Prince William County Circuit Court challenging – on the identical procedural grounds – the lawfulness of the proposed state constitutional amendment that seeks to redefine marriage and insert gender ideology language, which is also set to be decided on the November 3 election. The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Pastor Ben Purves.
You can learn more about this case on our website here.
These are exciting and trying times in our Commonwealth. Thank you for supporting us as we fight for life and marriage on your behalf!”
This is important information as we continue the fight for freedom in Virginia.
The election is next week. Tuesday, November 3rd, the polls open at 6 am and close at 7 pm. Please vote on election day and encourage your friends and neighbors to vote. (Read more.)

The True Origins of Halloween

2026-10-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

From The Crossroads Initiative:

We’ve all heard the allegations. Halloween is a pagan rite dating back to some pre-Christian festival among the Celtic Druids that escaped Church suppression. Even today modern pagans and witches continue to celebrate this ancient festival. If you let your kids go trick-or-treating, they will be worshiping the devil and pagan gods.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The origins of Halloween are, in fact, very Christian and rather American. Halloween falls on October 31 because of a pope, and its observances are the result of medieval Catholic piety.

It’s true that the ancient Celts of Ireland and Britain celebrated a minor festival on Oct. 31 — as they did on the last day of most other months of the year. However, Halloween falls on the last day of October because the Feast of All Saints or “All Hallows” falls on Nov. 1. The feast in honor of all the saints in heaven used to be celebrated on May 13, but Pope Gregory III (d. 741) moved it to Nov. 1, the dedication day of All Saints Chapel in St. Peter’s at Rome. Later, in the 840s, Pope Gregory IV commanded that All Saints be observed everywhere. And so the holy day spread to Ireland. The day before was the feast’s evening vigil, “All Hallows Even” or “Hallowe’en.” In those days, Halloween didn’t have any special significance for Christians or for long-dead Celtic pagans. (Read more.)

King James VI’s Witch Trials: Heresy They Say?

2026-10-26T02:00:00.000-04:00

From Discover Britain:

“The Scottish state and church wanted Scotland to be a very Godly society and so were zealous in cracking down on ‘sin’ of all kinds,” says Yeoman, “and accused witches were one of many categories of ‘sinner’.” Following the creation of the Reformation Parliament in 1560, The Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563 was passed, outlawing both the practice of witchcraft and the consulting of witches.
Into the mix, we have King James VI, who succeeded to the Scottish throne at just 13 months old, following the forced abdication of his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. Baptised Catholic, but raised by regents as a Protestant, he ruled Scotland from 1567 and, after the death of Elizabeth I and the Union of the Crowns in 1603, England and Ireland as well. Among the controversies of his reign, one of his most enduring legacies was his fascination with witchcraft.
While belief in the existence of magic was common, James is remembered for his active involvement in the persecution of witches, something that, as a monarch, Goodare says, was “unusual but not unique.” Yeoman adds that for James, “it seems to have been about facing down what he saw as ‘un-Godly’ threats to his throne and dynasty and showing that he was the Lord’s anointed doing God’s work.”
Although not the worst of Scotland’s witch hunts, the North Berwick Witch Trials of 1590-91 were personal for James and marked an escalation. In 1590, the fleet carrying his bride-to-be, Anne of Denmark, across the North Sea had to turn back owing to a dangerous storm. James then set out to collect her and on their return voyage, hit another storm. This, he believed, was the work of spell-casting witches and invigorated his desire to expunge un-Godly threats to his rule while feeding public anxieties. (Read more.)

Doomsday Bunkers?

2026-10-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

Interesting. From Tierney's Real News:

Here is the short version of what my earlier reports established, so you don’t have to start from zero:
- Iran has already demonstrated ballistic missiles with ranges that can reach U.S. bases, Europe, and the U.S. East Coast. The next step is mating nuclear warheads to them. They have proven the delivery capability. Pretending they would never use it is the delusion.
- Iran’s leadership is driven by Twelver Shia eschatology. This is not ordinary great-power competition. Key elements of the regime view the destruction of the current world order (and the conditions that bring the return of the Mahdi) as a religious duty, not a last resort.
- The White House ballroom project is not primarily a party venue. It is a hardened military complex: multi-story underground facilities, drone-proof and missile-resistant construction, military hospital, secure command spaces, biodefense systems, and rooftop drone/air-defense capacity. Court filings and official statements have described it as essential for continuity of government and presidential protection against nuclear, missile, and drone threats. (Read more.)

Dressing for Unpredictable Weather

2026-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

From Léonce:

1. Never Underestimate the Importance of a Good Umbrella

I realise an umbrella is hardly the most exciting place to begin a fashion conversation. But anyone who has spent an autumn in Amsterdam will understand. There is nothing quite like having your umbrella turn itself inside out in the middle of a downpour, preferably just as you’re crossing a busy street. I’ve come to believe that a good, wind-resistant umbrella is one of those rather unexciting purchases you’re eventually very grateful to have made.

2. Dress in Layers, but Don’t Overdo It

The difficulty with dressing for chilly, unpredictable weather is that the temperature outside rarely has much in common with the temperature inside. I’ve found that several lighter layers are generally much easier to live with than one particularly heavy one. A fine merino wool sweater, a cotton shirt, or a lovely cardigan worn beneath a jacket or coat allows you to adjust without too much fuss. I also tend to prefer natural fabrics that feel comfortable against the skin and are easy to layer without becoming too warm indoors.

3. Suede Is a Beautiful, Rather Impractical Love Affair

I have a particular weakness for suede. Shoes, bags, jackets, there is something about the softness of the material that makes almost everything look a little more beautiful. Unfortunately, I also happen to live in Amsterdam, where autumn and rain are practically inseparable. You would think that, after a few years here, I might have learned to stop buying suede. I haven’t. I still find myself admiring a beautiful chocolate-brown suede jacket or a pair of suede ankle boots, conveniently forgetting that there may be very few days when I can actually wear them. (Read more.)

Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes

2026-10-25T02:00:00.000-04:00

From Write Royalty:

Royal Jewellery: From Coronations to Keepsakes will feature “more than 300 pieces of jewellery from the 16th century to the present day, around two thirds on display for the first time,” the press release stated. “This unprecedented exhibition will bring together some of the most important and spectacular royal jewels in British history, many never exhibited publicly before,” explained Caroline de Guitaut and Kathryn Jones, co-curators of the exhibition, in the press release. “Each jewel carries with it a human story: of love and loss, power and politics, family and faith. Together, they have borne witness to the defining moments of royal lives and offer a deeply personal insight into the individuals and relationships that have shaped the monarchy across generations.”
As if to prove the exhibition’s bona fides, the Royal Collection accompanied that announcement with photos of 12 items that will be in the exhibition, which opens in June 2027. Some of the items are famous and have been publicly exhibited, such as the tiny diamond crown that Queen Victoria frequently wore perched on top of her head. (Read more.)

Turn in the Fraud, Collect the Check

2026-10-25T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Tierney's Real News:

Today President Trump and Vice President JD Vance launched a new program called WHIP, the Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program.
Here’s how it works. The Department of Justice is setting aside $25 million. If you send in a tip at fraud.gov and it leads to a conviction or a major enforcement action, you can get up to $30,000. The goal is simple: get ordinary people to report fraud in federal programs. Vance has led the administration’s fraud task force since March.
Trump also talked about a bigger idea. If a tipster helps recover a huge amount, like $1 billion or $10 billion, they could get a 1 percent “commission” cut, as long as they can prove the tip came from them. He said citizen journalists could qualify too.
Trump handed a $10,000 check to citizen journalist Nick Shirley for his work on Somali fraud. In 2025, Shirley made videos about Minnesota childcare centers that were getting federal money. His work led to investigations and arrests. Trump called the fraud in Minnesota a “horrible plague” in a “once beautiful state” and criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Peggy Flanagan and Ilhan Omar. I’ve been reporting on Somali election and immigration and welfare fraud in Minnesota since 2018 - I wish I could collect for that! I’d be a multi-millionaire! (Read more.)

New Light on Mysterious Rohonc Codex

2026-10-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

From The Greek Reporter:

A 16th-century letter has revealed new clues about the mysterious Rohonc Codex, a centuries-old manuscript whose unusual writing system puzzled scholars for generations. Dated June 28, 1571, the document offers evidence about the manuscript’s origins, its possible author, and its age. The discovery also challenges longstanding theories that the codex was a 19th-century forgery.

The findings come from research led by Benedek Láng, who examined the historical letter and four previously overlooked manuscript pages preserved in the Hungarian National Archives.

The Rohonc Codex contains 224 leaves and more than 80 illustrations, many depicting biblical scenes. Its unfamiliar symbols run from right to left. Like the mysterious Voynich manuscript, the Rohonc Codex attracted attention because of its unusual writing. It entered the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ collection in 1838 through the Batthyány family library. (Read more.)

A Most Controversial Queen

2026-10-24T02:00:00.000-04:00

A review of Daughter of the Caesars from History from a Woman's Perspective:

Marie Antoinette is one of history’s most controversial queens. In this Catholic biography of Marie Antoinette, Mrs. Vidal states that by killing both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the revolutionaries were killing the Catholic kingdom that they represented. This is because the goal of the French Revolution was to get rid of the Catholic church. The reason for this is because many Catholics were killed, especially those who were unwilling to convert. She also argues the popular misconceptions of Marie Antoinette that have been passed down for centuries and have been reinforced in Hollywood primarily the Marie Antoinette film starring Kirsten Dunst.

While many biographers highlight Marie Antoinette’s flaws, Mrs. Vidal emphasizes Marie Antoinette’s good traits. She grew up as a devout Catholic under Maria Theresa. She was a young girl who loved her family and when she was forced to move to France, it traumatized her so greatly that it took the French Revolution for her to mature. Marie Antoinette esteemed to be a moral woman and the reason for her conflict with Madame duBarry stemmed from her morals.

When Marie Antoinette became queen, she had many charities and adopted many peasants, including an African boy. She promoted women artists and women writers. She also sought to reform her corrupt court, making rules to uphold her morality. Mrs. Vidal also concludes that Marie Antoinette did not have an affair with Count Fersen and that she was faithful to Louis XVI. This is because Marie Antoinette wanted to be a moral queen. Also, if she did have an affair with Count Fersen, it would be considered an act of treason. It would also be impossible for her to conduct an affair because she was a public figure and everyone was watching her.

Not only did Ms. Vidal give a good portrait of Marie Antoinette, but she also gave a good insight into her husband Louis XVI. Louis XVI was also a devout Catholic. Unlike the myth of Louis XVI being a simpering fool, he was one of the most intellectual kings during his time. He knew many languages and had an acute understanding of politics. He agreed to help America because he was thinking of a long-term alliance. He thought that when France needed help, America would in turn help France in dire need. Contrary to popular opinion, Louis XVI was not opposed to change. He would have welcomed reform, just not the French Revolution.

Mrs. Vidal also overturned the popular misconceptions about Marie Antoinette’s friends, especially Princesse de Lamballe and the Duchesse de Polignac. The Princesse de Lamballe was one of the most intelligent people at Marie Antoinette’s court. She read a lot and was deeply involved in the politics of her time, which sometimes bored Marie Antoinette. She also had liberal leanings. Louis XVI feared Lamballe’s political influence on his wife so he steered her toward the Duchesse de Polignac, who had no inclination towards politics. The Duchesse de Polignac preferred simplicity and was a devoted mother to her children. She did not want to leave Marie Antoinette’s side during the French Revolution, but only did so when Marie Antoinette told her to think of her children. Throughout the Duchesse de Polignac’s days, she remained faithful to Marie Antoinette. When she learned of Marie Antoinette’s death, she died shortly thereafter because she was so heartbroken over her queen’s death. (Read more.)

What Do Progressives Really Want?

2026-10-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

From The New Criterion:

It goes without saying that the socialists want everything free: free housing, free healthcare, free childcare, free pre-K; at the least, below-cost groceries. All this freeness will be paid for by “the rich.” Alas, there seems to be no plan for what happens when the money spigot runs dry because you’ve just confiscated all the assets of the people who made your society tick over. Repeated back-of-the-envelope demonstrations that “the rich” don’t have the wherewithal to pay for everything even if you suck up their last sou never faze these people. No, if only the “oligarchs” stopped picking everyone’s pockets, we’d all live on easy street. “Medicare for all” is also appealingly catchy. Yet Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals average 10 percent below the break-even point; without overpayment by private insurers, the entire U.S. health system would collapse. Progressives aren’t big on math. Conservatives care about what works; leftists care about what should work.

This stuff is socialist same old, same old. More intriguing for me is the dsa’s proposition to eliminate the U.S. Senate, the presidency, and the Electoral College; axing ice is a mere kicker. Such a drastic revision of the Constitution would require an incalculable number of amendments, all approved by two-thirds of the House of Representatives and two-thirds of a Senate that would be voting for its own demise, as well as three-quarters of state legislatures to ratify them all. Really? In truth, the proposal is to rip up the Constitution, a prospect that would presently require nothing less than an armed popular uprising, perhaps a war between the New Mamdani Army and the federal government. Not that these folks are taking responsibility for promoting such a thing. After all, nearly every revolution other than the rather civilized American one has ended in catastrophe.

Yet these are also people who, despite rabble-rousing rhetoric, don’t really enjoy conflict. Ask any conservative podcaster how difficult, even impossible, it is to entice progressives to participate in a conversation with someone who actually disagrees with them. Trans activists reliably back out of media opportunities that would involve confronting their terfy critics face-to-face. Progressive views—on climate change, Palestine, dei, reparations, no-bail laws, men in women’s sports, abortion, welfare, and immigration—are a set menu. Individual leftists almost never deviate from this ideological rubber chicken. So progressives don’t only avoid conflict with their antagonists; they also avoid conflict with each other. (Read more.)

An Exhibition of the Pink Diamond

2026-10-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

From Château de Chantilly:

From October 17, 2026, to January 3, 2027, the Condé Museum at the Château de Chantilly, in partnership with L’École des Arts Joailliers, is presenting an exhibition tracing the history of a legendary historical diamond: The Pink Diamond.

Known as the “Grand Condé,” the Pink Diamond is a historic stone weighing over 9 carats, documented in the collections of the Princes of Condé since the 18th century. This jewel, renowned for its exceptional color and provenance, was stolen in October 1926 but recovered shortly thereafter, hidden inside an apple.

A century later, the Pink Diamond is once again on public display as part of this special exhibition. To mark the occasion, the Musée Condé and L’École des Arts Joailliers have undertaken an extensive interdisciplinary research project—the first of its kind for a diamond of this caliber. Thanks to wide-ranging gemmological and historical analyses, all of its secrets are now being revealed. (Read more.)

The Conservatism of Beatrix Potter

2026-10-23T02:00:00.000-04:00

From The Bridgehead:

Paul Kingsnorth has been grappling with the question of how to live in this revolutionary age on his Substack “The Abbey of Misrule,” noting at the outset that: “The storm is here and an age is ending, but new and old hearts stay steadfast on the margins. God is not mocked, and reality bats last. In an age of Big Everything, small remains beautiful and shall, in the end, inherit the Earth.” In his concluding essays, he suggests that becoming rooted in “people, place, and prayer” are key parts of the answer.

Kingsnorth’s proposal reminded me of Potter, who was the sort of conservative who knew precisely what she wanted to conserve—and how. Potter was born in 1866 in Kensington, London, to Rupert and Helen Potter, joined six years later by a little brother, Walter Bertram. She spent her childhood cultivating a deep love of art and nature. She and Walter populated their home with a menagerie of pets, including rabbits, mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, salamanders, and a rotund hedgehog. Walter even had a pair of long-eared bats that he left with Beatrix when he went to boarding school. She painstakingly painted and sketched them all with astonishing skill.
Potter’s pets and artwork turned into tales for children and in 1901 at the age of 36 she self-published the first edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit after publishers turned her down due to her insistence that the price must be kept low to keep the story affordable for children. The following year, Warne & Co. published an abridged version to an enthusiastic public reception, and several sold out editions. They asked Potter for more, and a series of stories were published in swift succession. There would eventually be 33 in all, and Potter became one of the most famous children’s authors of all time. (Read more.)

How Tens of Thousands of Somalis Were Resettled in Minnesota

2026-10-23T01:00:52.662-04:00

From The New York Post:

Two church non-profits have taken in at least $62 million to build the Somali community in Minnesota — leading to the rise of Ilhan Omar and the fraud scandals that have gripped that state, The Post can reveal.

Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services were at the forefront of reshaping the frigid Land of 10,000 Lakes thanks to generous government contracts stemming back generations.

“This is a very big pile of government money and a whole bunch of different groups have come to get their own slice of it,” Parker Thayer, an immigration expert at the Washington, DC-based Capital Research Center, told The Post. (Read more.)

The Return of a Lost Tradition

2026-10-23T00:00:00.000-04:00

From Alan Liang:

For centuries, the Dominican Rite has stood as one of the most venerable and distinctive liturgical traditions in the Western Church. In the mid-13th century, as the story goes, and as highlighted by Fr. William R. Bonniwell, O.P. (A History of the Dominican Breviary, New York 1945), the young Dominican Order, scattered across Europe, wished to possess a uniform liturgy across their houses. After various attempts, the fifth Master-General of the order, Humbert of Romans, commissioned a new standard and imposed it on the order, and at the request of his successor, Bl. John of Vercelli, was confirmed by Pope Clement IV in 1267.
The Prototype manuscript Humbert commissioned miraculously survives to this day, originally kept at the convent of St. James in Paris, smuggled out during the tumultuous revolution, before being again acquired by the Dominicans in 1841, and now kept in the mother church of Santa Sabina in Rome. (Read more.)

Duchess of Angoulême’s Diamond Tiara

2026-10-22T02:00:00.000-04:00

From Royal Watcher:

While the exact origin of this magnificent Diamond Tiara is not exactly known, it was either created by Bapst or Nitot around the time of the restoration of the Bourbon Monarchy, using Diamonds from the French Crown Jewels, possibly created by resetting earlier jewels created for Empress Josephine or Empress Marie Louise. In 1816, Madame Royale, the Duchess of Angoulême was portrayed wearing a sumptuous diamond parure comprising the large Diamond Tiara, two rivière necklaces, a pair of chandelier earrings, a belt buckle, a ring, and her mother’s pair of Diamond Bracelets by painter Antoine-Jean Gros. The Duchess of Angoulême asked her uncle, King Louis XVIII, to allow the Tiara to become her personal property, so the Tiara was reset with diamonds from the Royal Family’s collection, and the older diamonds were returned to the Crown Jewels around 1820. (Read more.)

The Ugly Truth

2026-10-22T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Culturcidal:

You’ll notice that in three years’ time, the battlefront has stayed roughly the same, although Russia has now taken another 1 to 2% of Ukraine. That tells you that this whole conflict has turned into what Donald Rumsfeld might have called a “long, hard slog.”
Furthermore, if you’re wondering who’s more likely to win this war of attrition, keep in mind that Russia has roughly 3.5 times as many people as Ukraine. That may explain why some Ukrainian front-line units are already reportedly operating at half strength, and why there’s no real possibility of Ukraine pushing Russia out of its territory and taking the fight in the other direction. (Read more.)

Bonnie Prince Charlie's Disastrous Cumbrian Friend

2026-10-22T00:00:00.000-04:00

From Hidden Cumbrian Histories:

By the side of one of Scotland’s most beautiful sea lochs lies a pile of stones. It marks the place where the Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie, landed in July 1745 with a tiny and already somewhat battered and disunited group of seven supporters. The inscription on the memorial records that one of the prince’s party was: “Francis Strickland an English gentleman from Westmorland”.
Together, these seven launched the Jacobite Rebellion, the most formidable and daring attempt by the exiled Stuart dynasty to regain the British throne.
Although he came ashore with only this absurdly small band of followers, Charles Edward Stewart’s timing was good because the bulk of the British army was away fighting in mainland Europe. He gained slightly equivocal support from thousands of Highland warriors and within weeks was the master of Scotland and victor of the battle of Prestonpans near Edinburgh. In that fight he annihilated the only semblance of an army the English had at a time when the London government could hardly muster enough troops on hand to guard the royal palaces, let alone fight an invasion.
He was disappointed when his English supporters failed to rise and even more downcast when the French delayed launching their promised invasion until it was too late. Even so, the speed and tactical nous of Charles’s forces wrong-footed the defenders of a succession of English cities. The Jacobites captured Carlisle and penetrated as far south as Derby. This unprecedented success by an invading army threatened to destabilise the British state. Yet the intense squabbling and internal distrust that had grown among his commanders led to the conviction they would not win and they retreated against Charles’s wishes. This allowed the English to regroup and led to the Jacobite army being crushed at the Battle of Culloden with 1,250 rebel deaths. (Read more.)

Louis XVII: The Pretenders

2026-10-20T02:00:00.000-04:00

The Dauphin Louis-Charles (Louis XVII) and his sister Madame Royale.

Marie-Antoinette's younger son, her chou d'amour.

The prince is probably three or four in this picture.

Dauphin Louis-Charles a couple of years later, at six or seven.

Small boys wore pink in those days.

Louis XVII, the eight-year-old imprisoned monarch, was removed from his mother Marie-Antoinette in August 1792. He was abused and forced to testify against her. After his mother and aunt were killed, he was was ill and locked up. His sister Marie-Thérèse, who was upstairs, was never allowed to see him, even when he was dying. He died on June 8, 1795. Marie-Thérèse was not allowed to see his body, either, but was kept locked in her room in the Temple Prison until his body was removed. From Ancient Origins:

By the time Marie-Thérèse was released in December 1795, rumors had already begun about the fate of Louis XVII. In what has been dubbed “the fauxdauphinomanie of the early nineteenth century,” dozens of fraudsters attempted to adopt the identity of the lost dauphin over the coming decades. While some of their stories were ludicrous, the hounding she suffered must have been unbearable.

The most successful amongst them was Jean-Marie Hervagault, who, inspired by a book published in 1800 entitled Le Cimetière de la Madeleine , copied the plot and claimed to be the lost boy-king rescued from the Temple. Meanwhile, Karl Wilhelm Naundorff claimed to have been smuggled out in a basket. His tomb in Delft was inscribed Louis XVII, roi de France et de Navarre . There were even allegations that the young king had been rescued during a royalist plot and was living in the New World. To that end Reverend Eleazer Williams, a missionary of Native American descent in Wisconsin, somehow convinced several people that he was in fact the lost king. (Read mor e.)

When Louis XVII died in the Temple Prison, there was no public funeral and his body was not publicly displayed. Not even his sister, who was kept in the same prison, was allowed to see him. From History:

“There is no real and legal certainty that the son of Louis XVI is dead,” wrote the Austrian diplomat, Baron von Thugut. “His death, up to now, has no other proof than the announcement in the Moniteur, along with a report drawn up on the orders of the brigands of the Convention and by people whose deposition is based on the fact that they were presented with the body of a dead child who they were told was the son of Louis Capet.”

According to Cadbury, the mystery surrounding the “orphan of the tower” led to 500 books on the subject and an Edwardian-era monthly journal. The first book, a fictional account called The Cemetery of Madeline, about Louis-Charles’s supposed escape from the tower, came out only a few years after his death. Memoirs were also written by claimants themselves, including the Historical Account of the Life of Louis XVII, dictated by an illiterate, drunken vagabond named Charles de Navarre. Even Mark Twain got into the act, writing of a transient pretending to be “the little boy dolphin” in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The first claimant appeared in Châlons-sur-Marne only three years after the Dauphin’s death. The charming, handsome teenager had been found wandering the countryside and put in the local prison. For months he refused to say who he was, and then said he was a member of a non-existent ducal house. Enamored villagers became convinced the seemingly aristocratic young man was Louis-Charles, and the teen did not disabuse them of this notion. (Read more.)

Portrait of Louis-Charles, Dauphin of France, later known as Louis XVII. Several years ago, some scientists have found a DNA link between the little king and the descendants of the claimant Naundorff. We discussed it on the Tea at Trianon Forum, HERE. The historical background of the mystery is explored in the novel Madame Royale.

Migration Jihad

2026-10-20T01:00:00.000-04:00

From Tierney's Real News:

By now, you’ve all seen the riots going on in France, Italy and Spain. I hope you realize that this is the end result of “socialism” and open borders. What Europe is now experiencing is an Islamo-Communist invasion (migration Jihad) after letting in 49 million Jihadis from countries that hate them. These are not just some disgruntled students as the fake news wants you to believe. This is not hyperbole. A former Muslim who grew up in an Islamic country said on British TV that they are all taught in school from a very young age about “migration Jihad” which they learned from Muhammad when he “migrated” from Mecca to Medina to overthrow it.
He says that’s the plan being implemented right now in the UK and all over the West. The goal is to send Muslims into our countries as “migration Jihad” to take us over, just as Muhammad did, and this is a plan that’s been in motion since they were all little kids.
“Migration Jihad is the essential doctrine of Islam. It’s what Islam was built on.” (Read more.)

'Pétros Ení'

2026-10-20T00:00:00.000-04:00

From Vatican News:

The film Pétros ení: Alla scoperta delle origini (Pétros ení: Discovering the Origins) premiered this morning, 16 October, at the Rome Film Festival, where the audience gave a warm round of applause to Pope Leo XIV, who is currently receiving treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The spontaneous and heartfelt tribute came as Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, expressed his hope that the Pope’s recovery “continues to progress well” following surgery.

Produced by AF Films in collaboration with Vatican Media and the Fabric of St Peter, to mark the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St Peter's Basilica on 18 November 1626, the documentary is directed by Paula Ortiz, written by Andrea Tornielli, narrated by American actor Chris Pratt and features an appearance by Pope Leo. (Read more.)

Death of Marie-Thérèse de France

2026-10-19T02:00:00.000-04:00

The daughter of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette died just three days after the anniversary of her mother's execution.

Here is a rare drawing of Marie-Thérèse as she would have dressed around the time of her death in 1851.

Here is a card commemorating her death on October 19, 1751, with an abridged version of her Will. It says:

+WILL+ OF MARIE THÉRÈSE OF FRANCE, DAUGHTER OF KING LOUIS XVI AND OF QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE, WHO DIED AT FROHSDORFF, +OCTOBER 19, 1851+ Following the example of my parents, I forgive, with all my soul, and without exceptions, all those who may have harmed or offended me; sincerely asking God to extend to them His mercy, as well as to me, and supplicating Him to accord me pardon for my faults. I thank all the FRENCHMEN who have remained attached to my family and to me for the proofs of devotion that they have given us, for the sufferings and pains they endured because of us. I pray God to pour out His blessings on FRANCE, which I have always loved, even in the midst of my bitterest afflictions. Having always considered my nephew HENRI and my niece LOUISE as my children, I give them my maternal blessing. They have had the happiness to have been raised in our holy religion, may they always remain faithful to it, may they always be worthy descendants of SAINT LOUIS! May my nephew consecrate his happy faculties to the accomplishment of the great duties which his position imposes upon him! May he never depart from the ways of moderation, justice and truth!

Here is a more complete reading of her Will:

In the name of the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Ghost … I submit in all things to the will of Providence. I do not fear death; and, lacking merit of my own, I place all my trust in the mercy of God, praying of him for time and grace to receive the sacraments of the Church with fervent piety …

I die in the Roman Catholic and Apostolic religion, in which I have lived as faithfully as I had power, and to which I owe all the consolations of my life.

… After the example of my parents, I pardon, with my entire soul, and without exception, all those who have injured or offended me; sincerely praying God to extend to them His mercy, and to me also, for the pardon of my sins. To all the faithful French who have remained attached to my family and to myself, I leave thanks for the devotedness, the sufferings, and the penalties they have endured in our cause.

I pray God to shower down his blessings upon France–France, that I have never ceased to love even under my bitterest afflictions.

I thank the Emperor of Austria for the asylum which he accorded in his dominions to me and my family. I am grateful for the proofs of interest and friendship which I have received from the imperial family, especially under circumstances of deep sorrow; and not less so for the sentiments manifested by a great number of his subjects, more especially the inhabitants of Goritz …

Having always considered my nephew Henri and my niece Louisa as my children, I give them my maternal benediction. They have had the happiness of being educated in our holy religion: may they continue in fidelity to it, worthy decedents of St. Louis.

May my nephew consecrate his happy faculties to the accomplishment of the great duties imposed on him by his position! May he never wander from the paths of moderation, of justice, and of truth!

I institute my nephew Henri my universal legatee. It is my wish that my remains be deposited at Goritz, in the vault of the Franciscans, between those of my husband and his father.

Let no solemn service be celebrated on my account. All that I desire are masses for the salvation of my soul.