People seem to be continuing to attempt to get back to work, whatever that may look like.
Vogue reports on Harry and Meghan visiting Homeboy Industries this week — that’s a very long-established and hugely respected organization here in Los Angeles which is, per their website, “the largest gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. For over 30 years, [they] have stood as a beacon of hope in Los Angeles to provide training and support to formerly gang-involved and previously incarcerated men and women, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community.” They worked on making meals for the food insecure here in Los Angeles, which is a very good cause. (And related to their previous outing with Project Angel Food.) (This sort of volunteerism is also a whole plotline in Jasmine Guillory’s new book, Party of Two!)
At People: Prince Harry Reveals What He’s Been Missing from the U.K. While in Lockdown in L.A. Someone needs to tell Harry about all the bars where people watch rugby here, once we can go out again! I am sure he would be very enthusiastically welcomed.
Town and Country reports: Kate and Camilla Team Up for a Rare Joint Engagement with Children’s Hospices.
Vanity Fair wonders, Will Prince Charles Take a Significant Financial Hit Due to the Pandemic? Hasn’t everyone? Regardless, that could get…interesting.
I know many of us have been following the ongoing story about whether or not the senior members of the Belgian royal family are going to speak publicly about the monster Leopold II, a statue of whom was taken down by protesters a few weeks ago; as far as I know, they have not. I recently read this (harrowing) story in the AP about five mixed-race women who are suing Belgium for crimes against humanity committed while Congo was under Belgian rule. The 60th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s independence is approaching — sixty years is truly not very long ago — and as there are (as I understand it) several statues remaining in place, I suspect this story will continue to develop.
Related, at CNN: Belgium’s King Leopold II has a 21st century nemesis. He’s 14 years old. This kid is amazing. (The details of this story are, again, in parts very distressing.) This piece also covers the question of how museums in Belgium are trying to tackle what to do with Leopold-related pieces of art. It’s extremely informative.
Prince Charles made this statement this week in honor of Windrush Day:
“The diversity of our society is its greatest strength and gives us so much to celebrate.”
To mark #WindrushDay2020, The Prince of Wales has sent a message of thanks to Britain’s Caribbean community for their contribution to life in the UK. pic.twitter.com/A4OTRWrhlC
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) June 22, 2020
As an American, this is not something I was ever educated about — one of you, however, mentioned it in the comments last week, and I found this recent BBC article about the “Windrush generation,” and the myriad issues they have faced in modern Britain, including a horrifying scandal where people were wrongly deported, to be very informative. I also found this Al Jezeera explainer to be helpful on getting me (very rudimentarily) up to speed. Last year, the New York Times reported “U.K. Tribute to ‘Windrush’ Generation Draws Criticism,” pinned to Theresa May and the government in general at the time. Clarence House also linked to this Windrush-specific page at the Black Cultural Archives.
Social media was otherwise fairly quiet this week:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBiS8wiHbV_/
Judging from the hashtag there, and the photos, I assume they’re discussing soccerfootball coming back amid a pandemic. (I WAS WRONG! Soccer is totally cancelled for the Netherlands and he’s actually discussing the financial — and other — implications of that having happened. Thank you, New merengue, for the intel!)
Crown Prince Haakon opened a library:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBlasILJSwV/
He and M-M have been very supportive of literacy in general; they always go to book fairs and such. They must be big readers. (Reading is a very uncontroversial thing to support, of course, but still — it is fundamental.)
[Photos: Shutterstock]
