The arms of Prince William of Wales
Unless people have been living under a rock (or otherwise studiously avoiding public news), everybody seems to have heard that His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales (son of Prince Charles, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II) is now officially engaged.
As the astrologer who is local-to-no-one-and-everyone-at-the-same-time (a heady feat at best) I wasn't shocked to get a few questions about the engagement.
First on everybody else's mind was that said engagement was announced while Jupiter and Venus were still in retrograde.
After I got done sighing heavily (I type and I type...do you people listen?) ....I roust myself to patiently remind you all that the reason why we have little notices about 'station effects' is because there really is a notable occurrence of important events just before and after planetary stations. Never mind a dual planetary station!
Two days before...two days after. The announcement came on the 16th and Venus and Jupiter went direct on the 18th. Voila - station effects!
The wedding is yet to come. Okay - that fits too: things which happen before the station have to do with things yet to come...things which happen within the 'station effective' period but after the actual station are events having to do with a playing out of decisions, situations or whatnot which came up prior to this time.
Also: astrology doesn't dictate the nature of what happens. What it tells you is the nature of the event... and thus what we can learn from it.
Venus was in Libra at the time. Libra is not only about relationships, it is about the 'one' communicating with 'the many' the actor on the stage before an audience, for instance. Or a manufacturer offering a product. Or in this case, the spokesperson for the English Royals letting the world know the engagement was like, ON!
Personally (which is to say as an astrologer) I think it's more interesting that in being about to experience his first Saturn return, Prince William is marking the classic transition from the 'timelessness' of youth into the reality/responsibility world of adulthood by getting married. In his chart, the most exact of aspects is that of Saturn to Eris...
Prince William of Wales
b. June 21, 1982
....so among other things, this is a natural moment for him to leave his childhood - and yes, the loss of his mother - behind.
Although granted, it's not quite that easy. But there's time enough to discuss all that....his intended's chart, the wedding chart...all such. There's time.
Like many, however, it took me a little aback and sideways when I heard that the engagement ring was none other than that given by William's father to his late mother. And yes, I've already heard the "dire" pronouncements of many on that score...to which I say a polite "twaddle!"
Sapphires as a stone were actually not known as gems per se until Roman times. So to attribute core 'from antiquity' beliefs to sapphire rings seems a bit off the mark. As a material, sapphire is the same stuff as ruby - it's all corundum. If it's red, it's a ruby. If it's any other color (blue, yellow, green, pink etc.) it's a sapphire.
The Logan sapphire - at 423 carats, currently
one of the largest sapphires known
photo credit: Thomas Reudas (June 2007)
The most right-off-the-top-of-my-head associations I'd make about the ring is that for Prince William to give it to his fiance is a classic 'combining of families' gesture.
Let's face it - many a young man who has been so unfortunate as to lose his mother early on keeps her rings in the family by doing exactly the same thing. So to attach anything but that seems left over from the world's general modern addiction to media coverage and gossipy speculation - and that's about us. Meanwhile, Prince William is being a son proposing to his sweetheart, offering his mother's ring as a token of his love and his desire to marry his and Kate's pasts and futures together.
But with that said, there is an astrological point here - namely that sapphires are associated with Saturn. So again, this engagement and impending marriage seems to be all about Prince William's relationship to Saturn: responsibility, time, dedication, commitment, maturation - and the rest of it.
With Saturn in his natal 9th house, this is part of Prince William's effort to grow into the person he wants to be. It won't be easy - he's one of a very few people who royal-born lives his life in the spotlight whether he wants to or not.
Then again, growing into the people we want to be isn't easy for any of us. So I for one, wish the couple well.
Which isn't to say there aren't many interesting astrological facts and events to be observed here. Part of being royal is the inevitable and unavoidable part one plays in the pantheon of national and world societal history and that is astrological grist for the mill.
So rest assured, there will be more to come on this whole splendidly regal event. But for now, let's just enjoy, while learning just a bit more about how Venus, Jupiter and planetary stations really work!
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