BLM Again

Wrong time, wrong place. Not now BLM.

 

TV Coverage of the Queen's Passing

C'mon mainstream media, lift your game. You've had a long time to prepare for this day and you're blowing it. 

I watched the 96 gun salute broadcast by GB News, and for a lot of it, the camera was jerking all over the place and was out of focus. Then, before the end they went to voices talking over, with guests like Dr David Starkey informing the audience that the Queen probably never read a book. What? 

Other technical glitches are evident, such as mics left live while the presenters whisper to one another. Sharpen up GB News.

Then through all of the coverage across many platforms, they're often getting their historical details wrong. I've lost count of the number of instances of this. Basically, turn the sound off and watch the pictures.

When mentioning the many prime ministers the Queen dealt with, no-one has mentioned Harold Wilson, reputedly her favourite PM.

And she has a large family. We don't need to hear from or need to know what Harry is doing all the time. There are other grandchildren too.

The Queen Has Died

A sad day, Queen Elizabeth II has died. As the tributes flow, I notice the words service and duty often being used. They're accurate, and she was also known for her good humour and caring nature. But above all, I would describe her as brave. 

Around the world, the Queen moved amongst people with ease. These days, world leaders cower away, afraid of their own shadows. They hide behind a wall of steel. Not the Queen, she was out in the crowd meeting people. Just think, during her reign she talked directly to hundreds of thousands of people and indirectly through her speeches to hundreds of millions. No-one else can even come close to her reach across the globe

And she kept her word. This was her promise; "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong." - Speech on her 21st birthday, April 21, 1947, broadcast on the radio from Cape Town.

The Queen first visited New Zealand in 1953. Her coronation tour visited towns and cities, and she travelled from one end of the country to the other. When in Nelson she stayed at the Hotel Nelson. At the end of her stay, the furniture in her suite was auctioned off and my mother bought a wing-back chair at that event. It sat in our lounge and was dubbed the Queen's chair. My mother wouldn't let anyone sit in it. Then, when on a visit home from university, there was my mother using it. I said, what about this being the Queen's chair? She replied, oh, I've dropped that rule now. This chair hadn't been used for 25 years!

We live in uncertain times, with a world war looming and overreaching governments imposing ridiculous lockdowns and travel restrictions. Will King Charles III be able to do his duty? I think so, he's also brave like his mother.

I found the following comment on YouTube, it hits the nail on the head:

Quelle femme, quelle mère, quelle grand mère, quelle arrière grand mère, quelle vie, QUELLE REINE ! Vous manquez déjà au monde entier votre majesté

Translation: What a woman, what a mother, what a grandmother, what a great grandmother, what a life, WHAT A QUEEN! The whole world already misses you your majesty

Queen's Health Deteriorates

Prince Charles and the rest of the Royal Family are heading to Balmoral as the Queen's health appears to have worsened. It looks like this may be it.

https://www.cityam.com/breaking-queens-doctors-concerned-for-her-majestys-health-as-family-members-are-informed/

Whether you support the Monarchy or not, one thing is certain, she has worked tirelessly to keep the institution of the Royal Family and the Commonwealth alive.

Prince Philip Dead: Aged 99

Sad news, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh has died aged 99. What a great man he was. No doubt he'll get a good send-off, full military honours and all that.

Harry and Meghan - Who Do They Think They Are?

The latest statement from the Sussex Royals can be found here: https://sussexroyal.com/spring-2020-transition/

This has the hand of Meghan Markle all over it, I don't believe for a minute that Harry would agree to put out such a statement. It sounds slightly argumentative or adversarial. If you want to get yourself offside with the Queen, then this is the way to go about it.

Where will this end? Who knows, but it can't end well. This isn't Hollywood, the Queen is above the law, and we're talking sovereignty here, not who gets to play the starring role in a movie. This is certainly going to heat up, watch this space.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Debacle

The full picture is now emerging and I have to say, I'm not impressed. The deal is the Sussexes will not be using their HRH titles, but they're not being stripped of them either; they won't be taking public funding but they will take funding from Prince Charles' Duchy of Cornwall. They're going to pay back the money spent on Frogmore Cottage, but it's unclear how and when that money will be paid.

I don't think this will work. The reason, too many areas of potential conflicts of interest, real or perceived. The only way for this to work is for Harry to become Harry Mountbatten-Windsor, a normal old Mister. Nothing more than that. 

Why do I say that? Using the Dukedom is a demotion. Harry and his wife become 'Your Grace.' That's got to sting and puts people they deal with in a difficult position, how do they address the pair exactly? Of course stripping away the titles makes the pair far less marketable, but wait, they're not meant to trade off their royal status. So explain, how does this work again?

Looking at the two, I have serious concerns about Harry. Meghan hasn't been part of the royal family for all that long and she's done well on her own, she's a survivor. But Harry has lived in a gilded cage his whole life, he probably thinks he knows what real life is like, but in reality he knows little of it. What is Harry meant to do now he can't be a royal? What can he do? There is nothing in his CV to suggest he can manage outside of the royal family. 

You want evidence of this I hear you say; he inherited a fortune from his mother, Diana, and the Queen Mother. These funds he now has full control of, so why isn't he already financially independent? What's this talk of seeking financial independence, he's only got himself, his wife who is not helpless and one small child. Harry is a fully grown man, what has he been doing with his money all this time?

Then it is reported Harry is considering buying a massively overpriced house in Vancouver, Canada. If he buys such a thing, I'd call that all the evidence anyone needs to prove he's financially illiterate. 

What does Harry know about? Land and horses. That's about it. Sensible is using a large proportion of his money on a farm in England, breeding horses, polo ponies and the like. Buying houses, even thinking about buying houses in Vancouver is simply throwing your money away. Where I see this heading, is in less than 2 years Harry will be back amongst the royals, cutting ribbons but much poorer for the experience of stepping back.

And what of Archie? How is he to be raised and educated? Remember, technically the couple are still HRH, he's seventh in line to the throne right now. When he grows older he may want to work as a royal, in that case he'd start to outrank his father who eschews his HRH status, odd indeed.

The Sussex Royal brand becomes problematic, isn't such a brand effectively trading on royal status? And funding from the Duchy of Cornwall, it's not really private money, this will become a sore point over time and an area where I feel Harry has shown he isn't thinking clearly. He can't be talking about financial independence but still relying on his father for handouts. 

What has been proposed looks rushed. It hasn't been fully thought through.

The Queen's Christmas Message 2018

I  thought the rather gently implied message from The Queen's Christmas Message this year was that we are stronger together. I believe evidence of this is found in her mention of the Battle of Jutland, the size of the Commonwealth, and her call for respect and understanding. Yes, the latter is clearly a Brexit reference but I think the imagery of the message is broader. She's calling for Empire 2.0 and about time too.