Dowager Queen Grandmother Shirley

1. Biography

Shirley was born on Tuesday, 10 July 1945, in Ontario, Canada. She is the second child and the eldest daughter of Blake Cunningham and Jean Ould. She has four brothers and one sister.

2. Marriage & Children

At age 18, Shirley married Kenneth Stoner on Saturday, 14 December 1963, at St. Andrews United Church in Ontario, Canada. Kenneth was age 19.

Shirley gave birth to her first child, a daughter Princess Tracy, on Thursday, 9 March 1967. Shirley gave birth to a second child in 1971. Unfortunately, the baby boy was born Stillborn. However, a third child, Prince Derek was born on Monday, 17 July 1972.

After nearly 17 years of marriage, Shirley and Kenny separated as husband and wife, but remained good friends. Never having legally been divorced, Shirley would remain legally married to Kenny until his death on Saturday, November 11, 2000.

On Friday, April 4, 1980 (Good Friday), Shirley officially began a relationship with Sir Harry Sr. Ramsden. After more than 34 years together, Sir Harry had died tragically at their private Canadian residence on Thursday, 16 October 2014.

Shortly after Sir Harry's death, Shirley began a relationship with his younger brother Dennis.

Queen Shirley and her husband Kenneth on their wedding day 14 December 1963.

3. Queen Consort of Ardania

Queen Consort of Ardania

In 1999, Shirley was declared the official Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Ardania, when her husband Kenneth, with whom she had been separated with for many years prior, was proclaimed the first King of the Kingdom of Ardania.

1999 - 11 November 2000: Her Majesty Queen consort of Ardania

Dowager Queen Mother of Ardania

Queen Shirley was given the title of Dowager Queen Mother, after her son Crown Prince Derek ascended the throne as the new King of Ardania following the death of his father King Kenneth.

After the abdications of her son King Derek, who abdicated his throne for love so he could marry a commoner, and her daughter Queen Tracy who abdicated for health reasons, Queen Shirley retained the title of Dowager Queen Mother until the reign of her grandson, prince Shawn, the last King of Ardania and the first Sovereign reigning Prince of the Principality of Woodlandia.

11 November 2000 - 26 June 2017: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Mother of Ardania

Dowager Shirley and her fiancé Sir Harry mid 2000's.

Dowager Queen Grandmother of Ardania

Upon the ascension of her grandson Prince Shawn as King of Ardania, Queen Shirley was titled as the Dowager Queen Grandmother of Ardania, until the amalgamation of the Kingdom of Ardania into the Principality of Woodlandia.

26 June 2017 - 12 March 2019: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Grandmother of Ardania

4. Queen of Mull

Queen of Mull

On December 11, 2000, Queen Shirley was declared Queen of the Kingdom of Mull. After ruling as Queen for nearly 14 years, Queen Shirley officially abdicated the throne due to health reasons on 16 November 2014, naming her daughter, Tracy as the new Queen of Mull.

11 December 2000 - 16 November 2014: Her Majesty The Queen of Mull

Official Coronation Photo of Shirley as Queen of Mull.

Queen Mother of Mull

16 November 2014 - 12 March 2019: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Mull

Dowager Queen Mother of Mull

12 March 2019 - Present: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Mother of Mull

5. Public Perception & Character

Charities & Patronages

An AI's (Artificial Intelligence) interpretation of HRH Dowager Queen Grandmother of Mull (grandmother to HRH Prince Shawn) (4 June 2023)

Artist Interpretation of Her Majesty Dowager Queen Grandmother Shirley (2021)

6. Hobbies & Interests

Fishing

In her spare time, Shirley enjoys fishing in the local lakes.

Olympics

As a teenager, Shirley was a committed athlete with dreams of competing in the Olympics, and was trained by Olympic Coach, Clifford "Cliff" Bricker (23 April 1904 – 20 September 1980). A Canadian long-distance runner who competed in the 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics and set the amateur world record of 15 miles in 1927. Shirley was on her way to becoming an Olympic Athlete, she was great in javelin and shot put, but excelled in long distance running. Shirley became the "second fastest girl in Ontario", when she raced and beat the second fastest girl in Ontario at the time. Unfortunately Shirley did not continue to pursue her dreams of competing in the Olympics, but instead chose to marry and have children. Today, she enjoys watching the Olympics on television when they are on.

7. Titles, Styles, Honours and Arms

Origin

10 July 1945 - 14 December 1963: Miss Shirley Cunningham (Canada)
14 December 1963 - Present: Mrs. Kenneth Stoner (Canada)

Royal & nobility titles

11 December 2000 - 16 November 2014: Her Majesty The Queen of Mull

16 November 2014 - 12 March 2019: Her Majesty The Queen Mother of Mull
12 March 2019 - Present: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Mother of Mull

Government titles

None

Honorary military positions

11 December 2000 - 16 November 2014: Her Excellency Grand Dame of the Royal Knights of the Guards of Mull

National honours

11 December 2000 - 16 November 2014: Sovereign Head of the Order of the Royal Knights of the Guards of Mull

Foreign royal & nobility titles

1999 - 11 November 2000: Her Majesty Queen Consort of Ardania
11 November 2000 - 26 June 2017: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Mother of Ardania
26 June 2017 - 12 March 2019: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Grandmother of Ardania
12 March 2019 - Present: Her Majesty The Dowager Queen Grandmother of Woodlandia

Foreign government titles

None

Foreign Honorary military positions

None

Foreign honours

1999 - 11 November 2000: Sovereign Head of the Order of the Silver Dragon (Ardania)
1999 - 11 November 2000: Royal Family Order of King Kenneth (Ardania)

11 November 2000 - 12 March 2019: Senior Order of the Silver Dragon (Ardania)

11 February 2000 - 22 April 2006: Royal Family Order of King Derek (Ardania)

22 July 2006 - 12 March 2019: Royal Family Order of Queen Tracy (Ardania)

26 September 2017 - 12 March 2019: Royal Family Order of King Shawn (Ardania)

12 June 2019 - Present: Royal Family Order of Prince Shawn (Woodlandia)
12 March 2019 - Present: Order of the Golden Phoenix (Woodlandia)
12 March 2019 - Present: Order of St. Wallace (Woodlandia)

8. List of Things Named After Dowager Queen Shirley

Currency

The official currency of the Principality of Woodlandia, called the shirley, was named in honour of Dowager Queen Shirley, maternal grandmother to HRH the Sovereign Prince Shawn of Woodlandia.
The fifty shirleys (dollar) banknote features the face of HM the Dowager Queen Shirley, maternal grandmother to HRH the Sovereign Prince Shawn of Woodlandia on the front. The banknote is often referred to as a Dowager or a Dow, as a way of avoiding confusion of calling both, a $50 banknote and the official currency of Woodlandia, shirley, both respectively in their own right.

Buildings/Architecture

The Shirley Temple is a religious building located in Olympia, Woodlandia. The Shirley Temple is named after HM Dowager Queen Shirley and is a play on the name of the American Hollywood actress Shirley Temple.

The fifty shirleys (dollar) banknote features HM the Dowager Queen Shirley, maternal grandmother to HRH the Sovereign Prince Shawn of Woodlandia. The banknote is often referred to as a Dowager or a Dow.

9. Did You Know? - Dowager Queen Mother

Dowager Queen Shirley was the first Queen of the Kingdom of Mull.
Dowager Queen Shirley is the longest reigning monarch of Mull, reigning for nearly 14 years.
Dowager Queen Shirley is the maternal Grandmother of HRH Sovereign Prince Shawn of the Principality of Woodlandia
Dowager Queen Shirley was the only Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Ardania
Dowager Queen Shirley was the only monarch to abdicate the throne of Mull.