Aug5

a horse, a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

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 a human adventure of the finest sort brought to life from my recent time down under. i was so taken by this, i’ve decided to share it even though i’ve since returned. while i was there, an extraordinary woman passed away. this is her story. 

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Not what I have, but what I do is my kingdom. Thomas Carlyle

tributes poured in from around the world with the news that princess shirley casley, of hutt river, age 84, had passed away, surrounded by family and friends. shirley was the wife of self-proclaimed prince leonard casley, and matriarch of the principality of hutt river, a 75sqkm micro-nation north of perth. 

prince richard casley, one of her seven children, said the family ‘was reeling from the loss of their rock, a woman who lived for her family, and a true matriarch.’  a fine familial tribute if i’ve ever heard one.

the casleys, a farming family, made history in 1970, when they declared their property to be a separate country apart from all of australia,  in protest to the government’s imposition of low wheat production quotas. under australian law, the government had two years to respond to the declaration, and their failure to do so resulted in the official birth of the principality in 1972. 

shirley and her prince leonard, the love of her life,  bought their wheat farm in the 1960s, were married for 66 years, and raised seven children, twenty grandchildren, and thirty + grandchildren there. once the principality came into being, they introduced their own currency, postage, and visa requirements. 

prince richard said his mother preferred to stay out of the spotlight, but was the behind the scenes driving force behind the principality –  hosting dignitaries, media, and the 40,000 tourists who visited each year.  ‘we’ve had messages from people all over the world who knew her. she was a very special woman to so many people – she enjoyed life,” he said. an understatement i’m sure.

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Our ambition should be to rule ourselves, the true kingdom for each one of us; and true progress is to know more, and be more, and to do more.  Oscar Wilde

 

 

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21 responses »

  1. Loved the post.

    I never knew that an independent principality existed within the geographical boundaries of Australia. With it s own currency like the Vatican. That’s a Wow! Does the place still exist?

    Shakti

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  7. What an amazing story, from your fine
    description of her she was certainly well
    liked :) The graphic of the crocodile is a
    very interesting one, of course snapping
    teeth could be a problem in the wrong
    hands but this youngster seems happy
    riding along without a care in the world :)

    Have a wondrously wicked
    and enjoyable Tuesday my friend :)

    Andro xx

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  8. I enjoyed this quite “bonkers” tale of a real woman who God rest her soul, died but had lived as a queen among her family and principality. Who would have thought this could happen, separating off like they did! 40,000 tourists, too! I love that they did this, no one fought it, and they had even their own postage, etc.! Wow!

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  9. Funny knew about him, though hardly anything was ever said or written about them, most thinking he was a nutter. I didn’t know he was married. Ahh yes Hutt Province..how many including me would like our own little part of Australia without being ruled by the other nutters we have now :D xx

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