for your amusement (and possible enlightenment): a poem, found at britannia.com, intended to help English schoolchildren memorize the kings and queens starting with William the Conqeror:

Willie Willie Harry Stee
Harry Dick John Harry three;
One two three Neds, Richard two
Harrys four five six, then who?
Edwards four five, Dick the bad,
Harrys (twain), Ned six (the lad);
Mary, Bessie, James you ken,
Then Charlie, Charlie, James again,
Will and Mary, Anna Gloria,
Georges four, Will four, Victoria;
Edward seven next, and then
Came George the fifth in nineteen ten;
Ned the eighth soon abdicated,
Then George six was coronated;
After which, Elizabeth,
And that's all folks, until her death.

Said to be "traditional." it amuses me greatly.

sigh. i want to visit England again, and add Scotland, Wales, and Ireland for that matter. a week and a half was not enough.

copyright 2003 carrie lynn king.