Boo boo in select company

Boo boo in select company
Something to say?

Monday 17 September 2012

The Royals

I am nicely tired of listening to wall-to-wall coverage of the William and Kate bandwagon. The media dances around them with their obsequious smiles and forgets to report on the real event: the visit by a future Prince to Solomon Islands. I want to know who is sitting next to him, what they are saying, how it will affect our future policy with this island. But what do we get, ad nauseum? William and Kate and those unfortunate photos.

     Don't get me wrong; I rather like Kate. I like that she doesn't pose or reinvent herself as a clothes horse. A nice-looking woman, who does not use hair spray. And William? There's nothing much  to say about William really.

     If that nameless photographer intruded into private premises, he should be dealt with by the justice system. But why do I want to hear every note in this opera?  Get on with it, press people. You have a job to do. There's Gove and his education turnaround, there's the EC making threatening noises and we'd rather hear about those things. Kate's troubles are not my concern. I don't want to hear about them. Nor do I care what transpires.

     All this brings me to the subject of the British Monarchy, which raises its head now and then from a forgotten corner of my mind. It is impossible not to have a sneaking respect for the Queen. I have always liked her. A grandmother who is doing a good job being that. All the public things she does, she does because this is what the country pays her to do. She can resign and hand over to Charles (Oh my God) any time she wants. So let's not get too excited about her devotion to duty...

     I felt rather sorry for her during the Olympics having to wilt in public at the opening ceremony. And I felt sorry for the Duke, who got ill after having to perform at the age of 91, on that barge and at other functions that week. Leave the man alone, for Heaven's sake. I wouldn't last a day in their roles. 

     What if someone paid me a huge amount of money - and respect - to do all those things? I'd still say no. At two in the morning it's my bed I want, and I am a lot younger than the Queen.

     Seriously - am I supposed to feel great loyalty to any person who comes to the throne, when I know all about their shenanigans in the past, thanks to that same media I moan about? Charles and Camilla? Good luck to them, but after our present Queen, I would be totally republican in my attitudes.

     Harry is another matter. Despite his cock-ups (forgive the pun) he is a natural with the people of other countries. It was a pleasure to see him on his tour. He was totally at ease with the people around him. Hooray Harry!

    Why on earth do we need a Royal Family for when we have a Cameron and a Milliband?