Finding Richard in Strange and Wonderful Places

Although I was expecting to see Richard around Leicester during the week, I managed to find him in other places on my travels.

• I found Richard at Warwick Castle, home of Richard Neville, the Kingmaker and our common ancestor. Richard once owned this castle, too.

• I  found Richard in Coughton Court, a National Trust stately home in Warwickshire and owned by the Throckmorton Family for over 600 years. We were touring the house, learning all about this interesting Catholic family, when what did I see, but a chair purporting to have been made from the wood of the bed on which Richard spent his last night.

• I found Richard in the window of a pie shop, with a greeting created by a fanciful shopkeeper.

• I found Richard in the humble St. James Church in Sutton Cheney where he went to pray for battle, embroidered in a kneeler meant for my prayers, too.

• And I found Richard on Bow Bridge, the site of his last ride out of Leicester, on the way to Bosworth field to fight his last battle. My rose joined his there in a last tribute to a brave King of England.

Leicester Glows

The last activity celebrating King Richard and the Reinterment was a rather mysterious event called "Leicester Glows." It promised fireworks and lots of candles around the city centre and the Cathedral. Of course, I needed to see what that was about, but I had some doubts as to how it could entertain for several hours.

Was I amazed after all! We arrived after dark and the city really was aglow with firelight. The candles were large terracotta pots that managed to stay lit in the slight breeze. They were placed on the ground in formations and also on structures to create unique light sculptures.

The city really was glowing. It was so beautiful to walk among the lights and look at the formations. I think people were rather in awe of all of the candles. It took a lot of planning to place and light them.  I think the pictures do not fully convey the true feeling one got seeing all of the glowing candles.

King Richard's Horse

Looking at the Cathedral, it was also aglow. There was a special projection on the spire this evening.

Here is a compilation of the event from YouTube. It really was a "glow-rious" event and stunning conclusion to a fabulous week of activities.

I Cried on BBC Radio Leicester

It's true. I actually started to cry for the reporter from BBC Radio Leicester who interviewed me after the Reinterment. It was quite embarrassing. But what can she expect, asking people coming out of the Cathedral, "What was the most moving part of the ceremony for you?" If only she had given me a couple of hours....

I arrived in good time to the Cathedral. I didn't know how they were going to assign seats, but I assumed it would be arrival time somewhat. So at the entrance to the little alley near where I needed to go, there was a checkpoint. I presented to the security guard my Admittance Card and my passport. He let me in.


Then I entered the Leicester Cathedral for the first time. It was immense, dim, and there were people and cameras everywhere. I was guided to a seat. At first I didn't think it was a good seat. It was on the front row of a section but in front of a pillar and a giant floral arrangement. I could just see part of the pall on Richard's coffin, the back of the reader's stand, and a bit of the altar area. There was no way to see into the new tomb area off to my right, which was enclosed into a little side chapel area.

I'm actually in this picture that was published in the Leicester Mercury. You can see my hat, sort of!

I'm on the far right end of this row, third in from the right.

Then we sat. And sat. And sat.

It was okay to sit for awhile and watch people. I was looking at hats, and people, and camera crew, and wondering how will I see much of anything with all this plant life in front of me. I talked with the lady next to me. She was a local lady from Bosworth. She told me that she was glad to be sitting by someone from far away. Lovely lady.

Then something magical happened. People started carrying things past us. Official looking people. And what did they have, you might ask? My goodness, that looks like the actual Book of Hours, Richard's very own that will be part of the ceremony! And wait, what do those people have? The crown, the specially made crown for King Richard himself went whizzing by me, not more than 2 feet away. I could have touched it! But then I might have had my hands cut off or something, so of course, I didn't try that.

Pretty soon, some other official people came and moved the big floral arrangement and told us that someone in the procession would be passing by with a wheelchair, so we should be on the alert. What's this? The procession? We are on the procession now! My seat got even better!

Unfortunately, we didn't have the Countess or Benedict Cumberbatch process by us, but we did have a bunch of nobility related to War of the Roses participants go by. That was rather interesting.

And then the ceremony began. I gave you a link to the order of the service. They followed it quite strictly. There were a few speeches, and probably the best one was by the Bishop of Leicester, Tim Stephens.

The first hymn really got to me. It was a hymn collected by Ralph Vaughn Williams with words by devout Catholic, G. K. Chesterton, O God of Earth and Altar.

It was at this moment that the Bearers moved Richard's coffin to the altar area. I think that is when it truly hit me that this man we were honouring was my ancestor, dead over 500 long years, and a King of England. That was a lot to take in, especially with beautiful musical accompaniment by a well-trained choir. Out came the kleenex.

The rest of the service was equally reverent. Benedict Cumberbatch did well at his reading. I liked the poem, actually. I was intrigued that the poet had used part of a knight's epitaph for it. One thing afterwards, however, about this portion of the service, is that the press has made it out to be more than it was. Benedict was only reading for about five minutes. It was not the highlight of the service. He was there, participating not performing.

I think the most moving part for all of us was the lowering of the coffin into the grave. I could not see any of it, but of course we knew it was happening. The Countess of Wessex and the Duke of Gloucester, along with various other dignitaries, such as the Archbishop of Canterbury, went up to witness it. Richard would be lost no more.

And then it ended with a beautiful arrangement of the National Anthem. I, being proud of my Canadian heritage, could sing along having learned the words long ago. 

When we were dismissed, after all of the important people had gone, the lady next to me and I crept up to have a look at the space where Richard would lie. I might not get another chance! There will be larger tomb on top, but he was underground, under a large black slab. I think people were happy with it.

And then out I came. I was alone, not in a crowd. I think that was how the BBC interviewer picked me out. I started out all right, telling her my name and what I thought of the service in general, but then she asked me for more details about the moving part of the ceremony. I hadn't had enough time to recover fully from all of it, so that's when the tears came out again. 

I hope nobody actually heard that interview, although if she wanted somebody more emotional about it instead of gushy, I guess I would have qualified.

I can't believe I helped to bury a King of England today. The experience will be one I will never forget.

Reburial of a King

Although I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the cathedral, several news media organisations were. Now the pictures and video are popping up.

Here is a compilation of photos in the Leicester Mercury. I think it captures the mood of the week well.

Also, here is a video of highlights from the ceremony in the Cathedral. I don't see me there, but you will get the feel for this tremendous occasion from it.

I think everyone there was moved by the ceremony. It will be something I won't forget.

As for Benedict Cumberbatch, he did a fine job reading the Poet Laureate's poem. But I was disappointed in the American press's take on his participation. That's what it was, participation in the ceremony. It was not the performance that they were trying to make it out to be.

Here is a CNN article about Benedict's participation. You would certainly think it was the highlight of the event. It certainly wasn't for me. It was a nice poem, but the poet herself could have read it for me and I would have appreciated it just as much. I was far more moved by the realisation that I was in the room celebrating the life and death of a King, my cousin.

And sorry, friends, Benedict is newly married.

Today's the Day!

I got up really early this morning. Today is the big day. The burial of a King of England.

My outfit is all set out. I am going to freeze today. It is raining, not hard but drippy. They are promising sun later, but that probably won't help us feel less cold.

All of the roads around the Cathedral will be closed to traffic. This will make parking and finding my cousin afterwards trickier. Fortunately, I have been walking around the city centre, so I am not totally unfamiliar with the place.

I am feeling very nervous about the event. I don't know what to expect, and I like to feel more in control. Misadventures are fine for sometimes, but maybe not for this.

Here is a program of the order of service. The service should last about an hour.

I won't be able to take any photos, but I will try to post some pictures later of what was going on outside at the time. I'll let you know how it all goes.

Highlights from the King Richard III Visitor Centre

Today I spent the day in Leicester, taking in all the sites.

The first visit was to the King Richard III Visitor Centre. It was quite crowded.

One thing I noticed was that there was A LOT of information given to us about Richard, how he lived, how he died, and how he was discovered. There was a lot of reading to do. It was all fascinating, but it didn't help the queue to move through very quickly, since we were all hung up absorbing all of that information.

The few items to look at included some digger outfits, Philippa Langley's boots, and a replica suit of armour.

One thing that I thought was interesting was the skeleton of Richard, replicated on a 3-D printer.

But the most meaningful part of the RIII Visitor Centre is the room where they have preserved the former gravesite. It is enclosed in a glass or acrylic enclosure and you can look down into it. There is a camera that projects an image of the placement of the bones in the grave. 

To see the actual place where Richard lay for half a century is probably one of the most moving experiences I have had. Words cannot express what I was feeling about it. I am in awe.

If You Weren't Jealous Yet, Now You Will Be...

The big news of the day: Benedict Cumberbatch is going to be at the Reinterment!

He is going to be reading a poem by England's Poet Laureate, Carol Anne Duffy.

Of course, this is additional exciting news. I get to see not only King Richard, The Countess of Wessex, but Sherlock himself!

Benedict is playing King Richard III in a BBC series called The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses.

Of course, it has previously been noted that he is also a cousin of King Richard, but not as closely related as myself. He is only a 3rd cousin, 16x removed. That hardly counts, really.

Now I am really getting nervous!

Here is a link to the announcement in the local Leicester paper.

The Requiem Mass

Oh, tonight was the Requiem Mass for Richard III at the Holy Cross Priory in Leicester, with the Cardinal Nichols. It was so very wonderful, more so than I even thought!

We had good seats and could see the front of the church and also the readers on the platform. The Cardinal was wearing a very special vestment. It actually belonged to Richard III and has been kept in a museum. It was extra meaningful to tie that in to the event.

The chasuble, known as the Westminster Vestment, is part of the heritage collection of Ushaw College, the former Catholic seminary at Ushaw Moor, near Durham. There is a tradition that it was worn by the Benedictine monks of Westminster Abbey during the reign of King Richard, who died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.  It was absolutely gorgeous and the colours are still vibrant.

Here is an article about the Requiem, with the Homily given by Cardinal Nichols.

There were several wonderful choirs participating in the event, including several choirs from local Catholic schools. 

Although Richard's body was not present, since it is waiting in the Cathedral for Thursday, I felt like his spirit was present with us in the Priory and that he felt honoured by our remembrance of him.

A Royal Cortege

Today is the cortege for King Richard III on his way through Bosworth Battlefield to Leicester Cathedral. It is to be a very solemn occasion with a slow procession on a horse-drawn coach from Bow Bridge, the place where he rode out to battle, to the Cathedral.

On our way to see the cortege, we stopped by for a photo of the Richard III pub. I don't know how good the food is, but it is quaint.

Here I am in front of the King Richard III Pub

Then it was off to find a good spot to watch the cortege. People were already starting to line the streets. We decided to try for the spot by St. Nicholas Church where the coffin would be transferred from a regular hearse to the horse-drawn carriage. Of course, it was already crowded, but people were in joyful spirits and really nice.

While we were waiting we had a lovely chat with a man and his daughter who we met there. People are so welcoming in Leicester!

Then the cortege arrived. I was greatly impressed how wonderfully understated yet regal it was, maybe very like what Richard would have had in his time. The coffin was made by the descendant who helped identify him. I was quite moved by that when I found out.

Here is an article about the coffin.

In the cortege, there were ten horses! Two of them were in full armour,  with riders also in armour. The coffin was decorated with a fairly simple wreath of greenery and white roses.

What impressed me almost as much as the cortege, which more moving than I ever imagined, was the respect of the crowds. Although there were nearly 35,000 people there, they were all very respectful and you could feel the real desire to honour the King.

I will post some pictures soon for you to see. But here is a story by NBC News with some good shots of the cortege and the crowds!

Here is a video taken from the opposite side of the street from where I was standing. If you look closely, you can see me!

Finally in Leicester!

Well, I made it here! I had an excellent trip, traveling from my home to Chicago and then to Heathrow. I made all of my connections, and no trouble at the UK border. I was asked why I was here, and the gentleman wanted to know what relatives I was visiting. I did not get much reaction when I told him cousins and Richard III. They have probably heard it all there!

I decided to take the National Express bus to Leicester. It was very inexpensive and direct. I enjoyed people watching in bus station--hikers, old people, mothers with children.

The coach arrived on time and I met my cousin for the first time in person. I know I am going to have a good week!

Today's The Day!

I am leaving today on my Big Adventure. Today's mission: how NOT to get lost in large airports!

I have been busy printing detailed maps of the big airports I am going through. I have instructions on how to get my coach. I have all of these papers. Now what should I do with them?

I will have to acquire a folder, I suppose. One more thing for the carry on, which is packed!

I hope I have thought everything. If not, I will have to figure out what to do. I've got my admission ticket and my passport. What else do I really need?

What Does One Wear? Part Three

The last part of my Outfit to figure out is my necklace. I had two choices, one a black pendant with a tiny diamond in the centre, and the other a silver Celtic cross with Trinity knots. Both are very nice, but as usual, I was uncertain.

I favored the black pendant as being more timely with my dress, but today I got a surprise from my friend Allison at work. She bought me this lovely Downton Abbey necklace.

I haven't taken it out of its wrapping yet, but if it is too short, I have a chain extender to add. It is also silver and will match better with the pewter Richard III boar pin that I bought to go on my hat. 

I am taking all three necklaces with me, so when I get there, I can try them and see what works best. But at this time, I am favouring the Downton Abbey necklace which is lovely and will remind me of Allison's thoughtfulness. It is a good feeling to have friends with such generous hearts. Allison is not the only one. You know who you are!

How Many Times Can I Pack My Suitcase?

What to bring besides The Outfit has been plaguing me this week. I have checked the weather several times and it looks like there will be cooler temperatures and more rain than I would like.

I had planned to bring a lighter weight fleece coat. It will be spring after all. Why do I still need the heavy winter coat rated for -40 below? That's just plain wrong.

Well, it is looking likely that I might need it after all, with temps predicted at freezing. I am planning to go to some outdoor places with wide open spaces. If the wind blows, I will be cold!

So, that means I have to figure out how to get the dress coat into the suitcase.

I had planned to use a newer duffle bag on wheels that I bought for my last trip to Alberta. I love it. It has pockets on the sides and isn't bigger than I am. Unfortunately, I can't get much stuff into it. And everybody keeps telling me to remember to leave room for all the souvenirs I will want to bring back home!

That leaves me one other choice, our biggest suitcase with the semi-broken zipper. I can get it open and closed, but sometimes it is not easy!

I repacked everything into it. Yes, I  can squeeze everything into it.

Not too much room for presents back home, but I will be reevaluating every sweater and shirt inside. I think I will even be able to get The Outfit in it for my trip back. I weighed it all. I'm up to 35 lbs. Still good, although getting on the heavy side for me.

Speaking of The Outfit, I had a lot of anxiety about keeping that one in the main suitcase. I had planned to put it in here, but then I thought, What if my luggage gets lost? I can always get other clothes, but I can't get another Outfit. 

I had planned to only take my laptop bag as a carry on. Now I decided that I had better find something that would fit both it and The Outfit. This is what I found:

This is a very small bag that can fit under a seat. I really like that it has a big front pocket that is the right size for my laptop and electronic stuff. The bigger main section is where I can fit The Outfit and any presents that I want to take over with me. It has a long telescopic handle and wheels that revolve easily.

I won't need to worry about moving both of them until I get to Heathrow, and then I will be taking them to the bus. 

I have two more days to repack everything again. I'm sure I will be doing that!

Medieval Music Concert

One of the events I am particularly excited about is a medieval music concert.

This music from the time of Richard III will be performed at Holy Cross Priory the evening after the Requiem Mass. Besides being great music to inspire us all, the tickets were free! I reserved my two tickets the first night they went up on the website!

Here is some more information about the concert on the Leicester Cathedral website.

This recording is of some Medieval English music from the Hillard Ensemble, about 50 minutes.

1 in 16

Yesterday I found out more information about how many people were invited to the reinterment through the ballot.

This article came out in the Leicester Mercury:

The World Comes to Leicester

This article tells me that 16 Americans are coming to the event. I wonder how many of those are not in the Richard III Society besides myself? The people interviewed were all connected to the Society.

I am 1 in 16 representing the United States. That is truly something to think about. I hope I will look okay. I am certain my behaviour will be impeccable!

The city of Leicester is getting ready for us. I hope I am ready for it!

Royals at the Reinterment

One of the questions I have been asked as I talk to people here about my trip is, What royalty will be at the event, besides King Richard III, that is? Will the Queen be there?

In my first letter that included my invitation, I was told that the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester would be there. For those who do not know much about the Royal Family, here is some information about the Duke and Duchess:

HRH The Duke of Gloucester in 2008
(Wikipedia.org)

HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester was born 26 August 1944. He is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary and first cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. He inherited the title of Duke of Gloucester from his father, Prince Henry, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. He was interested in becoming an architect and although he now often represents the Queen on royal duties, he is still interested in architecture and conservation. He also happens to be the patron of the Richard III Society.

The Duchess of Gloucester in 2013
(Wikipedia.org)

On 8 July 1972, Prince Richard married Birgitte van Deurs, Duchess of Gloucester. They have three children: Alexander Windsor, the Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina Lewis, and Lady Rose Gilman.



The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester live in Kensington Palace, in London.

One very important reason for the Duke of Gloucester to attend the reinterment of King Richard III is that Richard was also a Duke of Gloucester. The title was first created in 1385 by Richard II for Thomas of Woodstock, thirteenth son of Edward III.

The title became extinct at Thomas' death, only to be revived for Humphrey of Lancaster, fourth son of King Henry IV in 1414.

It again became extinct, but was revived a third time for Richard Plantagenet, our Richard, in 1461 by Edward IV, Richard's brother. The Dukedom merged with the Crown when Richard III became king, and as his only son died very young, the title again died out for a time.

Recently an important announcement was made that another member of the Royal Family, Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex, is to be at the reinterment. Here is an article about the announcement.

HRH The Countess of Wessex
(Carfax 2, via Wikimedia Commons)

I like the Countess of Wessex now that I have read more about her. I confess, though, there was a time when I was quite jealous of her. 

The last time I was in England at the young age of 20 years old, the last Royal Bachelor was Prince Edward, and all of the girls were hopeful of meeting him. I was not immune to these foolish thoughts. Why not? I was at Cambridge, Prince Edward was at Cambridge, and he was my age. Very silly, I know. I never saw him, not even once. I didn't look very hard, though.

Years later, when I had moved on to other more realistic concerns, I heard that he was marrying Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones. Oh well. He did marry a Helen, just not this Helen.

The news I see now of the Countess is that she is very active in royal duties. She is a patroness of the Girl Guides. She is a few months older than I am, has two very cute children, and is one of the Queen's favourites. Her father was a tyre salesman and her mother was a secretary. I enjoyed this article in the Sunday Express about her. I think she sounds like a very likable person, at least to a dedicated Anglophile, such as myself.

Needless to say, because of these high profile guests, security at the reinterment will be high. I had to answer some questions about myself so that I could be on the list of guests. I must be on very best behaviour.

I will be on the lookout, the same as everyone, for these famous faces. I'll let you know if I get to see them!

For more information about the British Royal Family, you might like to visit the Official Website of The British Monarchy. There, you can find out more about the Queen, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and the Countess of Wessex. The website also contains a very informative History of the Monarchy from 400 AD to the present.

Who Was King Richard III Anyway?

The first question that might come to your mind is, Who is King Richard III and why is he important?

Here are some quick facts about Richard:

• Richard III was born on 2 October 1452 in Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire, England to Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville, the Duke and Duchess of York.

All that remains of Fotheringhay Castle is part of the keep, shown here.
It was also the final place of imprisonment of Mary, Queen of Scots.
It was dismantled in the 1630s.

If you know your English history, you will remember the Plantagenets were a long line of 14 Kings of England dating from Henry II (1154-1189), a powerful man who owned vast lands in Anjou, France, and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, through Richard III, the last Plantagenet ruler.

Henry II and Eleanor are buried in the Church of Fontevraud Abbey in Anjou, France.

• Rumour has it that Richard killed his two nephews to strengthen his claim to the throne.

Richard was born three years before the War of the Roses began. The War of the Roses was a long civil war between two Plantagenet houses, the Lancastrians and the Yorks, who were both claiming rights to the Throne. It followed the Hundred Years' War, a series of wars from 1337 to 1453 that pitted English and French kings and kingdoms against, while causing socio-economic havoc in each country.

The First Battle of St. Albans, which tried to give rights to the Crown to John of Gaunt, the third surviving son of Edward III who had died in 1377, after Henry V died and Henry VI was still only a very small baby. We have many interesting personalities taking part in these battles, including Henry V at the battle of Agincourt and Jeanne d'Arc at the siege of Orléans.

By the time Richard was old enough to be involved in the conflict, England had gone through several monarchs including:

• Henry VI (1422-1461 and 1470-1471), succeeded to the thrones of England and France before age one)
• Edward IV (1461-1740 and 1471-1483), a Yorkist King
• Edward V (April-June 1483)
• and finally Richard III (1483-1485)

When Richard's brother Edward IV died, his son, Edward V, was declared King, but he was underage so Richard became Lord Protector. Young Edward and his younger brother were sent to live at the Tower of London, then a residence. Plans were made for Edward's coronation, but were postponed by Uncle Richard.

Then it gets even more complicated. The marriage of Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville, was declared invalid and the young Princes were therefore illegitimate. Richard was urged to take the throne. The Princes "disappeared." And we are still discussing what happened to them. Nobody quite knows. Did Richard do it? There were other possibilities. Or maybe they didn't die at this time at all but were scurried out of town and history.

• Richard was only King of England for two years, 1483-1485.

Although Richard was King for a short time, he did manage to accomplish some things during his rule. He attempted to make peace with the Scottish. He was committed to good governance. He seems to have been a good general and administrator. Richard was also known to be quite pious. But unfortunately, his claim was not widely accepted, and in the end, the Tudors were able to take control.

• Richard was the last English King to die in battle.

The Battle of Bosworth marked the end of The War of the Roses,

The White Rose of York

Richard died in battle on 22 August 1485 on Bosworth and Henry Tudor claimed the throne. Richard's body was brought back to Leicester, put on public display so everyone would know he was dead, and then given to the Franciscan friars for burial. An alabaster tomb was constructed in 1495, but then when Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, the friary disappeared and so did records of Richard's grave.

• Richard had idiopathic adolescent onset scoliosis.

The spinal column
of Richard's skeleton

This was one of the main ways scientists and archaeologists were able identify the bones. Idiopathic adolescent onset scoliosis means that the reason for the scoliosis is unclear (idiopathic) and that it began after age ten. His right shoulder would have been higher than his left, but in armour he would have looked quite normal. This condition would have given him some shortness of breath, but Richard would still have been able to be active.

There is still a lot we do not know about Richard. That is one of the reasons people continue to study his life and times and argue about what it all means. We can never know everything there is about everyone, what was in their heart, what they cared about, why they did what we think they did. It's one of the reasons that history is so fascinating to us to study. It helps us think about our own thoughts, feelings, and actions and how they might be interpreted to others now and in the future.

For a quirkier look at King Richard III, try this video from Horrible Histories, introduced to me by my friend, Joe.

Requiem Mass at Holy Cross Priory

What some of you might not know is that there have been several public ballots for spots at various Richard III events during Reinterment Week.

One event that caught my eye early on was the Requiem Mass at Holy Cross Priory Church in Leicester with Cardinal Nichols. This is to be the main Catholic ceremony for Richard's repose.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols

The notice said that this ceremony, complete with the Choir from St. Barnabas' Cathedral of the Diocese of Nottingham, was open to the public. However, it was another ballot. How could I resist another chance?

On 6 March, I joyfully learned that I was again successful in another ballot and this time I would not have to go all by myself since we are allowed two tickets! The tickets look very lovely with a picture of Richard on one side, and the other with the text with the information, with a white York rose watermark.

Picture courtesy of John

This event is on Monday, 23 March at 5:00pm. We are to be in our seats at 4:30pm. I heard that this event will last a couple of hours. I can't wait to hear which setting of the music they use. I need to brush up on my Latin.

Here are some pictures of Holy Cross for you.

Exterior 

Inside showing the nave

Construction on Holy Cross Priory began in 1929 and was completed and consecrated in 1958. Its roots go back much longer. The Dominicans, who serve the Priory, reached Leicester in 1247 and thrived there. However, in 1538 the priory was surrendered to King Henry VIII's agents. The remaining friars fled to Flanders.

Eventually the Dominicans returned to Leicester, but not until nearly the late 18th century, early 19th. Holy Cross was established as a priory in 1882.

Although Holy Cross isn't an old church building, it looks quite beautiful and I can't wait to visit.

For more information about this event, you can click here.

For more information about the church, click here.

Watch for a more detailed account about this great event next week!

Admittance Card

It turns out that my invitation was only step one. I was to receive an Admittance Card! This card would be the item I would need to bring with me to the Cathedral and show anyone who asked.

To receive my Admittance Card, I would have to answer some security questions to make sure that I was safe to have around all of those people. Since I am a fairly open person with no deep dark secrets, I had no trouble providing the information to the Invitation Office.

On 11 March, I received a special package via Royal Mail. My Admittance Card had arrived!

Also included with the card was a letter welcoming me to the event, as well as explaining some simple rules. First, the attire. I was happy to read that I was on the right track with the black dress, and we are encouraged to wear hats, just as long as I don't wear a top hat. Easy enough.

We are not allowed to have a camera at all, and all cell phones must be OFF. No embarrassing ring tones during the ceremony, and definitely no use of camera phones. Okay, I can do that. The event will be televised and hopefully I will find links to post here for you. And sorry, no selfies of me and the Archbishop of Canterbury, at least not at this occasion.

There was some description of parking and traffic in the letter. This might be somewhat difficult to figure out. How do I get in and out of the Cathedral? It is likely to be very busy, with nearly 60 news/media organizations all parked in front of the Cathedral, and lots of onlookers who want to be nearby watching who goes in. That is a problem for another day, I suspect.

My main goal is to not forget this card. Wouldn't that be a disaster!

What Does One Wear? Part Two

It was a relief to have chosen a dress. Now for the fun part of shoes and hat.

For the hat, I thought about the hats I owned. I had two very suitable cloche hats, also purchased for Downton Abbey Day at the library. They would work well enough, but  how would I get them to England without squashing them?

My husband told me that I should just wear my hat on the airplane, if I couldn't put it in my suitcase. Wouldn't I look beautiful wearing a dress hat on the airplane? And how would I sleep with it on my head? I don't think men really understand these things.

I thought about sending one of my hats over ahead of me in a box. That might work, provided it could get there in time. But what's the fun in this whole choosing an outfit experience if I only raided my closet for the bits?

A solution presented itself to me: buy a hat from a store in the UK and have it sent ahead to await my arrival.

The UK is full of wonderful hat stores. Some of the hats are big and flamboyant, and then there are the very tiny fascinator style that need to be pinned to your hair. I think I would not like those much.

Because of my dress style being more 1920's, I decided to find a cloche hat. I finally settled on two possibilities. One with a tiny little brim and one with a velvet ribbon and an asymmetrical brim.

Both hats have arrived at their destination and are awaiting my approval. I can't wait to try them on with my dress!

How will they look with glasses?

And now for shoes. I had a lovely pair of Clarks that I planned to wear, but they suffered a fatal tragedy. I learned that the material forming their sole had disintegrated and was not repairable. What should I do? I found this pair by Ecco on ebay. They are the right style and comfortable enough, although I wouldn't want walk long distances in them.

I also found a long black raincoat from L. L. Bean on ebay. Here is a picture. It has a removable hood and lining. It is very warm with the lining and will be a nice "blanket" on the airplane, too!

I wondered about being cold in the Cathedral. With my drop waist dress, selecting a sweater might be difficult. I finally decided on a black pashmina shawl. It will also fold up very small and be easy to stick in my coat pocket.

Next to figure out, jewellery.

What Does One Wear?

After I was finished screaming with excitement and astonishment, my first big question to myself was:

What does one wear to a royal reinterment????!!!!

My initial letter did not give me any guidelines as to what the proper attire ought to be, so what did I do? I hopped on the internet to look at Royal funerals and special occasions. I found some good pictures.

From my initial glance at pictures, I decided that my first thought of wearing a black dress with a black hat was not out of line with what would be acceptable.

But what sort of dress and what sort of hat?

Friends with a sense of humour suggested a large hat with a big white rose, the symbol of the House of York, on the brim. Very funny. What a way to get noticed! Or to look ludicrous.

Other more sensible and serious friends suggested a small hat, possibly one with a very tiny white rose. But the style would depend on the dress.

Ok, that left me with the big question: what dress should I wear?

Suggestions from friends and family:

• Don't wear a dress that is too short, above your knees.
• Don't wear something that I would wear, Mom. You will look silly!
• Wear something regal.
• Wear something that will be warm enough. The Cathedral might be chilly.
• Don't spend too much money on the dress. You will want to spend something on souvenirs.

Lots of suggestions but no concrete examples of dresses to try on.

Now, I am a terrible shopper. I haven't really gone clothes shopping in a regular department store for a long time, and when I do, I usually find things to think about but end up putting them back. It's a great savings trick I have!

No, my usual method of shopping for clothes for myself is to visit the thrift stores. If I don't know what I want anyway, why not go to the thrift stores and browse what's there and save money while I'm at it? We are fortunate to have some stores in town that carry nicer used, and sometimes new, clothing. That's where I have usually gone for clothes for work. I have found $200 sweaters there for under $5 and other treasures, The thrill of finding a bargain is also appealing.

Last year, I was hosting a Downton Abbey party at the library where I work. I found a new, with tags, black dress with a drop waist pleated skirt, short sleeves, and just my size. It cost $7.00. But wait! It was Half Off Day. That brought my purchase of a lovely Downton Abbey "costume" nice enough to wear elsewhere to a total of $3.50 plus tax! I did buy a hat for the party to go with the dress, and I had antique black gloves and sensible shoes to wear as I ran around serving tea and playing etiquette games.

Helen and Pam having fun at the Downton Abbey Party.

Should I wear this dress? Do I dare wear a dress that cost me $3.50 to a royal reinterment?

I decided that I should look for something else and see what my options were. This led me to dress shop after dress shop. Why are all of the dresses this year sleeveless? And short? Those wouldn't work. I found one dress that might have worked but cost nearly $200. Too much money.

After about three intense forays into stores, I gave up. I then searched the internet. I finally bought a dress to try from a company that sold more high end clothes. The dress came, I tried it on, and I packed it up to go back.

In the end, I decided that the dress I had and already knew was probably the best choice. It really is a nice dress and I received compliments on it. I feel comfortable in it. It also shouldn't wrinkle much in my suitcase. 

Having decided, I could then concentrate on the accessories of hat, shoes, and jewellery.

Itinerary

Saturday, 21 March

• Leave South Bend for Chicago 5:53 pm
• Leave Chicago for Heathrow 7:00 pm

Sunday, 22 March

• Arrive Heathrow 7:55 am
• Catch National Express Coach to Leicester 9:30 am
• Arrive in Leicester at St. Margaret's Bus Station 11:45 am
• Royal Cortege by St. Nicholas Church 4:50-5:15 pm

Monday, 23 March

• Mr. Tom Brown, BBC, 10am, outside of Cathedral
• Bradgate Park
• Anstey and Rothley
• Requiem Mass at Holy Cross Priory Church at 5:00 pm
• Be in seat by 4:30 pm

Tuesday, 24 March

• Leicester Cathedral around 9:00am
• King Richard Visitor Centre at 10:00am
• Statue
• Guildhall
• Jewry Wall
• Bow Bridge
• Mrs. Bridges Tea Rooms
• Medieval Music in the Time of King Richard, Holy Cross Priory Church at 8:30 pm

Wednesday, 25 March

• Lincolnshire and North Sea
• Spalding
• Gosberton
• Skegness

Thursday, 26 March

• Reinterment Ceremony at 11:30 am, Leicester Cathedral
• Be in seat at 10:30 am
• Adrian Mole Musical at Curve Theatre

Friday, 27 March

• Warwick Castle
• Coughton Court
• Leicester Glows at 6:00-10:00 pm
• The Magazine
• Castle Gate

Saturday, 28 March 

• Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre
• Market Bosworth
• St. James Church, Sutton Cheney
• Abbey Park

Sunday, 29 March--Time Change, Forward One Hour!

• Leave Leicester at 6:30 am
• Arrive Heathrow at 9:30 am
• Depart Heathrow at 12:20 pm
• Arrive Chicago 3:25 pm
• Arrive in South Bend 7:26 pm

Other activities I would like to do while I'm in England (in no particular order):

• Leicester sights
• New Walk Art Museum
• De Montfort University new Heritage Centre exhibit
• Fenn Lane Farm
• Donington le Heath Manor House