BRITAIN’s New Years Resolutions

Henry VIII. Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014
Henry VIII. Royal Collection Trust/© Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2014

This year, we’ve taken some inspiration from some famous figures from British history when it comes to planning our new years resolutions…

Live a healthier life

Although the image of King Henry VIII as some grotesque barbarian who tore through piles of meat with his hands has been largely dispelled, Tudor feasts were extravagant and at times lasted for several days. Featuring prominently on menus were birds such as swan, peacock and seagull, so it is perhaps no surprise that following a jousting accident Henry’s waist grew to around 54 inches wide.

new years resolutions
King Henry VIII had a 54 inch waist

We’re sure our waists will have grown throughout the festive period, too, so for our new years resolutions we aim to cut down on the meat, eat a little less and move a little more.

Manage debt

Many a monarch has been known for being appalling with money – from King Henry III who ran out of money during his ambitious renovation of Westminster Abbey, to King John, who set huge taxes to cover his spending. But perhaps the most renowned spendthrift of all was the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who was known to lavish money needlessly, which led to the building of Brighton’s rather unusual Royal Pavilion, among other luxuries.

Brighton Pavillion

This year we plan to watch our finances and treat ourselves occasionally….not every day.

Write a novel

We say it every year but this year WILL be the year we sit down and write our novel, or at least a play…or perhaps a short story. If William Shakespeare could manage 38 plays and 154 sonnets, and Charles Dickens 15 novels, we must be able to manage at least one work of note…surely.

William Shakespeare

Be more open-minded

During her reign Queen Mary I, known quite aptly for ever more as Bloody Mary, burned at the stake no fewer than 300 Protestants for the sole reason of their religious leaning. She even ordered the deaths of Anglican bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in Oxford for their part in the annulment of her parents’ (Catherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII) marriage.

We don’t wish to be thought of as cruel, and we pride ourselves on our compassion and tolerant nature, so we hope to continue in this vein for our new years resolutions for 2023.

Happy New Year from all at BRITAIN!

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