Southampton
Elizabeth Mulderig
In the garden, Alice finds three playing cards painting the roses red at the behest of the Queen. Shortly afterwards, as the King and Queen of Hearts arrive, the cards drop to the ground, face down, in fear.
When, upon questioning, Alice is unable to tell the Queen who the cards are, she orders them to have their heads cut off.
One of the most enduring lines from Alice in Wonderland, “Off with their heads!” is synonymous with the impulsive and demanding character of the Queen of Hearts. Some believe that she may be a reference to Queen Margaret of Anjou – a strong-willed leader in the House of Lancaster, which was represented by a red rose during the Wars of the Roses (1455-85).
In Bermuda Wonderland, the altercation takes place in Southampton Parish, presided over by Gibbs Hill Lighthouse in the distance, which has been warning seafarers of Bermuda’s treacherous reefs since 1846.