I have just started my memory journaling entries in my new book. I published My Journal The Gold Moments just one month ago, in May 2023. As I watched the coronation of King Charles III, I was talking to may father saying I recall Prince Charles as early as his 20's, being on TV and in the news. Now here he is being crowned the Oldest Monarch Crowned at his own coronation.
This goes in unison with me seeing Queen Elizabeth II go from a mother of teenagers - as Andrew and Edward were then - to being the longest reigning monarch, and seeing her funeral in 2022. She had become a grandmother, and great grandmother, going through all the same family drama many of us go through, while still being The Queen. If I had witnessed all this - what would my grandchildren witness? What will they talk about with their grandchildren in the future?
While I was discussing this, my father said how he remembered the funeral of Queen Mary (Mother of King George VI) and it made me think what my grandchildren will reflect on in future, at the coronation of Prince William - Prince of Wales which I hope to see, and later his son Prince George, which I am highly unlikely so see from this mortal plane. This got me thinking about memory journaling.
I was honoured the chance to see Prince George (on tv at least) as page boy, carrying the train for his grandfather King Charles III at his coronation. He looked every part a royal, and serviceman in his uniform, portraying a loyal and traditional future to come. One that my grandchildren are likely to be reflecting on with their children and grandchildren by then.
I now wonder what my grandparents remember as their earliest royal celebration. I wish I had something in a journal or notes to say so. I know my grandmother was a huge fan of the royals, and would paint portraits of the engagement photos from the latest magazine. While she painted, she chatted away about the lace wedding dresses, ornate carriages, and the Queen Mother - her favourite of all. If only my grandmother had left a memory journal with all her favourite royal memories in.
I now have many of my own memories about royal occasions. When my daughter was just one month old, my father (centre right) was working as a deaf-blind facilitator. The gentleman he worked for was a Services veteran.
Although Michael was still in his 30's, he had suffered devastating effects from two identical brain tumors at once. He was left deaf, blind, without a sense of taste or smell, and suffering epilepsy, yet he was a fighter. Michael had initially retained 10% vision, and started a desk-top publishing service. That was where my father began working for him.
Michael's work was aided by funds from The Princes Trust. That was how they were invited to meet with Prince Charles in 1992 - through the Princes Trust.
There is usually a protocol about standing too close to any royal, especially the next heir to the throne - as he was then. Prince Charles saw my father interpreting their conversation onto Michael's hand - like typing. He wanted to talk directly to Michael himself but didn't know the sign language. It all happened quite quickly and my father hadn't expected this. Michael was merely hoping he might get to shake hands with the Prince.
Photo of Prince Charles with my Dad & Michael in a rare moment.
My father let Michael know what was happening, then stood beside them as seen in the photo above. Prince Charles told my father what he wanted to say. Instead of my father tapping it onto Michael's hand, he tapped his own hand. Prince Charles then copied my father's actions onto Michael's hands, talking to him directly. It certainly made all of their meeting more special.
Prince Charles - now King Charles III as of today - has always has been a people's person. He stepped forward to do something out of the ordinary that day. It was simple, but it meant so much.
Their encounter created a memory to be handed down through my family. Even my grandchildren can see the photo on the wall at Grandpa's house but the photo needs words to help them understand it later in life, and keep the memory alive when we're no longer here to explain it. That's where memory journaling comes to mind.
Sadly that day my father met Prince Charles, also brought devastating news that Windsor Castle had caught fire. The humbling images next day of the Queen in her wellies, inspecting the ruins still come to my mind thirty years later as I write this blog post.
As I think about these moments, it is only a month after publishing 'My Journal - The Gold Moments'
I realise I could fill a volume, with memory journaling ideas like these alone, regarding important celebrations about royalty, meeting famous people, and headline news like the fire, Diana, and more.
My daughter at the age of 13, being home educated at that time asked me "How many kings and queens of England have there been?"
My face instantly recoiled through time and space. I was remembering the mono-tone hours of history lessons like life flashing before my eyes. I realised that the only thing I recalled was King Henry VIII had many wives and killed some of them. My honest reply was to point towards the computer as I said to her "Ask Google!"
To my surprise, she started searching, listing, chatting away as if she was listening to the latest TV soap. She went back to the computer every day, till a week later she came back with the answer Sixty Four. Some of the early kings had names I'd never heard of, such as Ethelred who reigned at the turn of century when the yearly dates jumped from 999 to 1000.
This was one of my favourite memories from home educating my children. I loved seeing my daughter learn more history in weeks under her own steam, than I ever learned in years at school. It was breathtaking and inspiring in many ways. It became a great conversation piece daily.
Then she said "I wonder how each got to take the throne from the others?" and so continued a beautiful project. Another one for the list of memory journaling.
I suggested she begins with what she does know - that Queen Elizabeth II took the throne when her father King George VI died. She then googled, chatted, and plotted on a sheet of paper till she run out of room. What now?
I suggested using another piece of paper to continue, like mapping a family tree. Several months later, after countless fascinating conversations, she had traced the lineage right back to the first King of All England and stopped there. It was too complex to continue, as it unmerged to kings of the seven counties - as England was then.
What a memory she created for us, the day she laid out all thirteen sheets of paper to show us her accomplishment!
Later come the memories of my grandchildren learning about the Queen for her 70th Jubilee. At five years old, my granddaughter told me of the story of a queen and the party at school. I told her the queen was real and she laughed. I showed her, her first video of Queen Elizabeth II and immediately her face lit up. She declared what a lovely lady she was and wished she could meet her.
Now I'm wondering how I can help keep this history going, of our own family memories. A collection of times and places that people like us were, what we were doing, and what we were thinking. A parallel time capsule to Royal History.
How can I create Something my grandchildren can talk about with their grandchildren many years ahead? It's time to start memory journaling with thoughts of their future conversations with their future generations.
Imagine if you and your family started their own tradition of journaling royal events, or any other celebration that is important to your family and culture. Memories that will remain for generations.
Here's my first 'Royal' Gold Moment entry in my copy of My Journal. I have so many other Gold Moments and memories to journal for myself and my grandchildren, about so many things.
My Journal - The Gold Moments - King Charles III Coronation and memory journaling
