Tag: mary queen of scots

Postcard from London, England: ‘Strange bedfellows’ for eternity

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Above left: Monumental effigy of Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587). Above right: Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603). Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey

There is no other shelter hereabouts: misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.” 

The Tempest, William Shakespeare, 1611

In recent years, you’ve been exposed to an immense quantity of footage showing the interior of Westminster Abbey: the wedding of Prince and Princess of Wales in 2011; the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022); and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023.

With no need to cover that aspect, this taphophile is jumping straight to the everyday role of Westminster – a splendid monumental cemetery housing the remains of more than 3,300 elite, a veritable who’s-who of a thousand years of British history. Grave markers underfoot lie ignored, overwhelmed by the sculptural and polychrome effigies and memorials climbing ever higher up the church walls.

If ghosts rise in the night, what bedlam must reign. According to the Westminster website, the remains of 13 kings, four queens regnant, 11 queens consort, and two more queens are interred there. Blood might run thicker than water, yet British bluebloods frequently spilled that of their kin.

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Postcard from London, England: Fashion foot forward

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Above left: Hedgehog at the feet of an entombed noble, Westminster Abbey. Above right: Butterfly-wing sandals, Sophia Webster, “Rebel: Thirty Years of London Fashion,” The Design Museum

One might assume I have a foot fetish, as once again I focus on what’s found underfoot of effigies atop monumental tombs of the rich and powerful who occupy prime real estate in churches in Europe. Prior to this, most guardians of the feet we encountered were dogs – beloved lapdogs or prized hunting hounds to offer comfort and protection for the dead.

But the fashion for many of those buried in Westminster Abbey is sculpted to emphasize distinction and convey rank and power. Kings and queens incline toward lions. The regal Scottish red lion posted by Mary Queen of Scots appears assigned to make sure no one attempts to peep up her numerous layers of petticoats.

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