The meeting started with a minute's silence in memory of those involved in the London bombings.

The ladies met at the Bromsgrove Golf Centre for the July meeting, to be greeted with lovely surprise!

We have been invited to visit the gardens at the home of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, at Highgrove.

Final arrangements were made for the annual summer dinner, this year to be held at the Wagon Wheel, at Grimley. Ladies were reminded of the time and date.

The speaker, Shirley Noble, was introduced and her subject was the life and loves of Charles II. He married Catherine of Braganza, from Portugal, who unfortunately was not able to bear children. Not to be held back, Charles proceeded to take one mistress after another, in England as well as on the continent. Most of them bore him one or more children, Nell Gwynn certainly had two fathered by Charles. Probably there are hundreds of his descendants now living in Britain and France! Despite all these illegitimate offspring, Charles had to be succeeded on the throne by his brother James after his death in 1685. The meeting closed after coffee had been served and a chat among ourselves enjoyed!