Annus horribilis
Encyclopedia
Annus horribilis is a Latin
phrase meaning "horrible year", or alternatively, "year of horrors". It alludes to annus mirabilis
meaning "year of wonders".
as being in use as early as 1985, Elizabeth II brought the phrase to prominence, in a speech to the Guildhall
on 24 November 1992, marking the 40th anniversary of her Accession, in which she described the closing of the year as an "annus horribilis."
The phrase may allude to John Dryden
's poem "Annus Mirabilis
" about the events of 1666. The "sympathetic correspondent" was later revealed to be her former assistant private secretary, Sir Edward Ford.
, then United Nations Secretary-General
, used the phrase in his year-end press conference on 21 December 2004, saying "There's no doubt that this has been a particularly difficult year, and I am relieved that this annus horribilis is coming to an end". His remarks were widely interpreted as alluding to persistent allegations of corruption in the UN's Iraq Oil-for-Food Program. His remarks came just days before the deadliest event of the year, the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26.
's royal family
, and in particular Juan Carlos I
, faced a difficult year. Family tragedy and a series of controversies led to Spanish newspapers to refer to the year as the King's annus horribilis.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phrase meaning "horrible year", or alternatively, "year of horrors". It alludes to annus mirabilis
Annus mirabilis
Annus mirabilis is a Latin phrase meaning "wonderful year" or "year of wonders" . It was used originally to refer to the year 1666, but is today also used to refer to different years with events of major importance...
meaning "year of wonders".
Elizabeth II
Although cited by the Oxford English DictionaryOxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
as being in use as early as 1985, Elizabeth II brought the phrase to prominence, in a speech to the Guildhall
Guildhall, London
The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. It has been used as a town hall for several hundred years, and is still the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London and its Corporation...
on 24 November 1992, marking the 40th anniversary of her Accession, in which she described the closing of the year as an "annus horribilis."
The phrase may allude to John Dryden
John Dryden
John Dryden was an influential English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who dominated the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the period came to be known in literary circles as the Age of Dryden.Walter Scott called him "Glorious John." He was made Poet...
's poem "Annus Mirabilis
Annus Mirabilis (poem)
thumb|right|200px| The Great Fire of London, which took place on September 2, 1666, was one of the major events that affected [[England]] during Dryden's "year of miracles"....
" about the events of 1666. The "sympathetic correspondent" was later revealed to be her former assistant private secretary, Sir Edward Ford.
- In March 1992, it was announced that her second son, The Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of YorkPrince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, would separate from his wife SarahSarah, Duchess of YorkSarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
. Later in the year, scandalous pictures of a topless Sarah being kissed on her feet by her friend, John Bryan, were published in the tabloids. - In April, her daughter, The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess RoyalPrincess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, divorced her husband Captain Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
. - In June, The Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
' tell-all book, Diana, Her True Story, was published. - In November, just four days before the Guildhall speech, one of The Queen's homes, Windsor CastleWindsor CastleWindsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, caught fire. The castle was seriously damaged, and several priceless artifacts were lost. John Major, then Prime Minister, wanted the government to cover the cost of repairs (Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are government-owned), and the British Constitution requires the monarch to accept the advice of his/her prime minister. But there was much public outcry against this plan. So, instead of relying solely on the taxpayer, the government decided to open some of the publicly-owned royal residences to tourists during the summer period when the Queen is not in residence; and the fees for those tours were used to pay for repairs. - In December, the Royal Family faced further difficulties when the separation of The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and his wife DianaDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
was announced.
Kofi Annan
Kofi AnnanKofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
, then United Nations Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
, used the phrase in his year-end press conference on 21 December 2004, saying "There's no doubt that this has been a particularly difficult year, and I am relieved that this annus horribilis is coming to an end". His remarks were widely interpreted as alluding to persistent allegations of corruption in the UN's Iraq Oil-for-Food Program. His remarks came just days before the deadliest event of the year, the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26.
Juan Carlos I of Spain
In 2007 SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
's royal family
Spanish Royal Family
The Royal Family of the Kingdom of Spain consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón...
, and in particular Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
, faced a difficult year. Family tragedy and a series of controversies led to Spanish newspapers to refer to the year as the King's annus horribilis.
- In February, Érika Ortiz Rocasolano, the youngest sister of The Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of Asturias , is the wife of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir apparent to the Spanish throne...
, died of a drug overdose in her apartment. - In July, a humour magazine, El JuevesEl Juevesis a Spanish satirical weekly magazine published in Barcelona. Its complete title is ""...
, published a drawing that ran on the cover a depiction of Felipe, Prince of AsturiasFelipe, Prince of AsturiasFelipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
and Letizia, Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of Asturias , is the wife of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir apparent to the Spanish throne...
having sex, with a caption reading, "Just imagine if you end up pregnant. This will be the closest thing to work I’ve ever done in my life.", satirizing a proposal by the government of giving 2,500 euros to the parents of newborn children. The magazine was banned and put away from distribution, which led to a controversy. - In September, Catalan separatists were tried for burning photographs of The King and Queen SofíaQueen Sofía of SpainQueen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
at an anti-monarchy and Catalan separatist rally in GironaGironaGirona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
while the royal couple toured the city. - In early November at the XVII Ibero-American Summit, after an altercation between the President of Venezuela, Hugo ChávezHugo ChávezHugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
and Spain's Prime MinisterPrime Minister of SpainThe President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
José Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
, the King asked Chávez, "¿Por qué no te callas?¿Por qué no te callas?¿Por qué no te callas? is a phrase that was uttered by King Juan Carlos I of Spain to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, at the 2007 Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile, when Chávez was interrupting Prime Minister of Spain José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's speech...
" ("Why don't you shut up?"). - Shortly after the summit, the royal house announced the separation of the King's daughter, the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo and her husband, Jaime de Marichalar, Duke of LugoJaime de Marichalar, Duke of LugoDon Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, is the former husband of the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain...
. The couple have two children, FelipeFelipe Juan Froilán de Marichalar y de BorbónDon Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón , Madrid) is the eldest son of the Duchess of Lugo, Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
and VictoriaVictoria Federica de Marichalar y de BorbónDoña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón is the daughter of the Duchess of Lugo, The Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
.
External links
- Royal.gov.uk - Transcript of The Queen's speech at Guildhall 24 November 1992
- Annus Horribilis: book by Sam JordisonSam JordisonSam Jordison is a British writer, who was born in 1977 in Alnwick, Northumberland.He has written for UK publications such as The Guardian, 3:AM Magazine, The Times, The Independent and The Idler, as well as writing film and book reviews....