Latest news with #&I
Telegraph
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The World of James VI and I: A fascinating tribute to the king of bling
You have to wonder whether history would have been kinder to James VI & I if he had ended up being beheaded. His mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, had been brought to the scaffold in 1587, her death warrant signed by Elizabeth I – an event that in centuries since has cemented her legacy as a national heroine. In 1649, his son and successor, Charles I, met the same end. By contrast, James is perhaps best remembered as 'the wisest fool in Christendom', an epithet handed down to us by one of his courtiers, Sir Anthony Weldon, who could also be considerably less kind, as when he recalled James continually fidgeting with his codpiece. Weldon's broadside appears at the outset of The World of James VI & I, an exhibition held at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh to mark the 400th anniversary of his death. It's a show of considerable nuance, in large part because it doesn't set out to rehabilitate James, as such – rather, it wants you to engage with James on something like his own level. Stuffier exhibitions tell the story of monarchy predominantly with portraiture, and leave you wondering whether you'd have been better getting it from an illustrated book. Not so here, where portraits, letters, clothes, jewellery, ornate glassware and more combine to conjure a rich sense of the charged times in which James ruled, in both his kingdoms – as well as of James's enormous love of bling. The show takes the story of his reign at a canter. In Scotland, he founded Edinburgh University and cultivated a proud Renaissance court; on the other hand, his deeply held superstitions spurred him to rekindle the persecution of witches. In England, he tried in vain to effect an improbable peace with Spain, pursued a policy of unbridled colonisation in Ireland, oversaw the establishment of the first colonial plantations in Virginia, commissioned the King James Bible and enjoyed the company of male favourites such as George Villiers in terms that have had historians speculating ever since. But the real achievement of this exhibition is in understanding that these historical debates are, ultimately, too big for it – it can only point to them. What it can and does achieve is a sense of the sheer splendour of the Stuart court under James – and how James mobilised that splendour to communicate the potency of his dynasty. After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when he made the politically questionable decision of transplanting most of his court from Edinburgh to London, he compensated by commissioning portraits, medallions, coins and jewels, circulating images of the entire royal family to as wide an audience as possible – and making it abundantly clear that he had a stable marriage and secure bloodline, which must have been a breath of fresh air after the Tudors.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The first known letter written by King James VI to go on show
A childhood thank-you letter written by King James VI of Scotland aged seven is to go on show later this month as part of a new exhibition. In the letter, the first known to have been written by King James, he thanks his guardian's wife, the Countess of Mar, for sending him fruit. It will be on display as part of The World Of King James VI & I exhibition which opens at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait in Edinburgh on April 26. The exhibition, marking 400 years since his death, will explore the life of the king who was the first monarch to rule over Scotland, England and Ireland after uniting the crowns in 1603. Artworks, jewels, clothing and precious documents are among the items which will be on show. Dr Alan Borthwick, head of Medieval and Early Modern Records at National Records of Scotland, said: 'These records are rarely seen in public. 'They help us understand James's remarkable story, from becoming king of Scots as a baby, his mother's exile, his childhood and going on to become the first monarch to rule Scotland, England and Ireland.' In the letter, the young James addresses the Countess of Mar, Lady Annabella Murray, as Lady Minny. She was responsible for looking after James when he was a young boy, and 'Minny' is an affectionate old Scots term meaning 'mother'. The young James became king when he was just 13 months old, after his mother Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate. He died in England on March 27, 1625. The exhibition runs until Sunday September 14.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The first known letter written by King James VI to go on show
A childhood thank-you letter written by King James VI of Scotland aged seven is to go on show later this month as part of a new exhibition. In the letter, the first known to have been written by King James, he thanks his guardian's wife, the Countess of Mar, for sending him fruit. It will be on display as part of The World Of King James VI & I exhibition which opens at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait in Edinburgh on April 26. The exhibition, marking 400 years since his death, will explore the life of the king who was the first monarch to rule over Scotland, England and Ireland after uniting the crowns in 1603. Artworks, jewels, clothing and precious documents are among the items which will be on show. Young James VI's signature on a letter to the Countess of Mar who helped raise him after Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to flee. Proudly safeguarded in our archives, this treasure and others we hold feature @NatGalleriesSco Portrait exhibition from 26 Apr. Don't miss it! — NatRecordsScot (@NatRecordsScot) April 8, 2025 Dr Alan Borthwick, head of Medieval and Early Modern Records at National Records of Scotland, said: 'These records are rarely seen in public. 'They help us understand James's remarkable story, from becoming king of Scots as a baby, his mother's exile, his childhood and going on to become the first monarch to rule Scotland, England and Ireland.' In the letter, the young James addresses the Countess of Mar, Lady Annabella Murray, as Lady Minny. She was responsible for looking after James when he was a young boy, and 'Minny' is an affectionate old Scots term meaning 'mother'. The young James became king when he was just 13 months old, after his mother Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate. He died in England on March 27, 1625. The exhibition runs until Sunday September 14.
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey proposes 'more affordable' net zero approach
Guernsey could save money if a new approach for the island to reach net zero is approved, a government committee has and Infrastructure (E&I) said its new approach, which involved reviewing the pathway every seven years, was "pragmatic, realistic and significantly more affordable" than the current system.E&I president Lindsay de Sausmarez said Guernsey could "get close to net zero, but not reach it" by 2050 with existing added "there is a lot of innovation going on" and the proposal to review every seven years meant they could "make the most of advances that might benefit Guernsey". 'Readily actionable' The proposals would not need extra funding, de Sausmarez said.E&I said efficiency improvements from net zero could save the island £125m every year by 2050, as well as stimulating the economy and attracting green business to the approved, the first seven-year cycle would focus on "readily actionable" areas such as building and transport as well as introducing Energy Performance Certificates, it Sausmarez added: "We're keen to keep the momentum up so we can deliver savings and wider benefits as soon as possible."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney dumps two DEI programs as investors pressure company to ax more woke initiatives: SEC filing
Disney is reportedly pulling back on its diversity, equity and inclusion policies — the latest major company to walk back the woke initiatives amid pressure from activist investors and the Trump administration. The media giant — which saw its bottom line hurt by the battle over Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill — quietly dropped its 'Reimagine Tomorrow' program from the DEI section of its 2024 SEC 10-K report, according to a recent regulatory filing The program, which was mentioned in its 2023 report, has a mission statement of 'amplifying underrepresented voices and features some of Disney's DE&I commitments and action,' according to its website. The initiative promised 50% of regular and recurring characters across the Disney universe would come from 'underrepresented groups.' The program sparked outrage in 2022 when a company-wide Zoom call was leaked on social media. One Disney executive touted her 'not at all secret gay agenda' at the company, while another boasted that the company was ditching the words 'ladies, gentlemen, boys, and girls' at its theme parks in order to not alienate transgender children. Although the program's website is still up and running, Stefan Padfield, director of the Free Enterprise Project for the National Center for Public Policy Research, told Fox News Digital on Monday that its exclusion from the SEC filing could signal change at the Mouse House. 'Disney dropping [Reimagine Tomorrow] from their DEI section could mean they're walking back their DEI investments, or it could signal they're hiding them,' Padfield said. 'Either they recognize that more litigation is coming, or it could be part of a vibe shift.' The company has also dropped its 'The Disney Look' appearance guidelines from the DEI section in its SEC filing. The 2023 SEC filing stated that the guidelines were 'updated to cultivate a more inclusive environment that encourages and celebrates authentic expressions of belonging among employees.' Disney did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Disney's DEI policies were in part a reaction to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 'Don't Say Gay' law, which barred the discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation for kids in public schools. President Trump recently ordered an end to DEI in the federal government and for its contractors, which includes many private companies. Meanwhile, companies are also under pressure from conservative critics who say DEI programs are discriminatory against non-minorities. Corporations such as Meta and John Deere have rolled back their DEI programs, while others like Apple and Costco have pushed back. Google, GM, Intel, Pepsi, Comcast, Philip Morris and others have softened or deleted their DEI language. 'Where is your data that shows DEI serves the bottom line?' Padfield asked of companies that still employ DEI measures. 'The concern about the scrutiny about these questions is built into this movement we're seeing across companies. The Trump administration announced they'll investigate nine companies for their DEI practices, and you're seeing corporations scramble to not be among those nine,' he said. The DEI battle is also being fought in the courtroom. On Friday, Target was hit with a class-action suit, after shareholders alleged the retail giant misled investors about the risks of its DEI initiatives, which led consumers to boycott and its stock price to tank. Sign in to access your portfolio
