I remember a Jewish friend of mine being very upset when I said that the Pope was just a man eith a funny hat whose pronouncements meant nothing to me. My friend said I should at least respect the position of Pope.
Never gave a fuck about the royal family. If I ever did, can’t recall when.
Full disclosure: I’ve always had issues with the German Queen that a) she owned all of DaVinci’s anatomical drawings and b) kept them locked away in Windsor Palace. And a more current, lesser beef: Prince Andrew (allegedly) remained her favorite child til the end.
That said, I find her death suspicious. Im guessing King Chuck’s behind it, or maybe Wills and Kate are trying to frame Chuck because, seriously, wait another couple of decades. Or Liz Truss who deserves to blamed for everything.
But to quote Sleepy Joe Biden in different circumstances: Big fucking deal.
Despite being an ostensible democracy, many people in the USA are fixated with royalty and hereditary titles. Witness the 19th century heiresses who married bankrupt English noblemen or the nitwits today who buy a square inch of land in Scotland so they can call themselves a "lord of the manor." The irony lies in the fact that the House of Hanover is one of the most junior, least distinguished European dynasties. Hell, Scandinavian royalty can trace their ancestry back eleven hundred years (the Japanese Emperor can go back 1700!). My guess is the focus largely derives from our colonial history and the fact that the House of Hanover is basically the only one that still puts on a lot of pomp and circumstance. I still think it's all bullshit.
Thanks for your take on the media feeding frenzy, Roy. As for myself, I feel like I must be the only person in the world who hasn’t been paying any attention to this and frankly doesn’t care. I mean, I heard some details and schmaltzing from the BBC, but that’s because I occasionally listen to the 3-minute BBC Radio 1 news updates at the top of the hour.
As for the extravagant, hyperbolic takes, I think Crow T. Robot said it best: “There are more trends than ever nowadays, and it’s important to know about them, and react!”
MeMeMegan: "Queen Elizabeth presided over the end of the British Empire, not its expansion, and also, parliament has been charge of Britain's foreign policy for the whole of her reign."
Periodic reminder that her first prime minister was senescent Winston Churchill. Her second was Anthony Eden, who fumbled Suez.
I have a few friends who are weirdly besotted with the Windsors. I feel a certain pang at the news, but that’s because of the prominent world figures who were around when I first started paying attention to the news in the late fifties/early sixties—Eisenhower, Kennedy, Macmillan, de Gaulle, Adenauer, Churchill, Nehru, Khrushchev, John XXIII, Franco, Nasser, Ben-Gurion, Castro, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, etc.—she was the last one standing. I used to joke that she had some kind of Tithonus arrangement going, and would outlive not merely Charles but William and George as well. It’s not as though I cried myself to sleep last night, but it does feel as though a feature of the landscape has gone missing.
It really is odd that a country which fought a bloody and violent revolution against the British crown would fawn over said monarchy, but then again, the United States is a hodgepodge nation and many of us are stupid beyond belief.
Yesterday, I was reminded of Patrick Freyne's article about Oprah's interview with Harry and Megan in the Irish Times. It was a throwback to when journalism still had sharp teeth, with great paragraphs like this:
"Having a queen as head of state is like having a pirate or a mermaid or Ewok as head of state. What’s the logic? Bees have queens, but the queen bee lays all of the eggs in the hive. The queen of the Britons has laid just four British eggs, and one of those is the sweatless creep Prince Andrew, so it’s hardly deserving of applause."
I was never able to understand the outpouring of emotion at the death of Diana, only a former Royal, so I suspect that there will be something like that over this. Oh where is Cromwell and of course Milton when you need them?
Couldn’t care less about the Queen but this was funny: the TV folks were quoting all the nice things Presidents said about her and I said, “What if Trump said, ‘She wasn’t my type, I wouldn’t do her,’” and my wife missed the “what if” part and said, “Just what I’d expect from that asshole.” So the true nature of The Donald is now part of our history and always will be.
Also Elton John paid tribute to Liz. You woulda thought Cher had died, or Judy.
A couple of days ago when the Obamas had the unveiling of their official portraits at the White House, MSNBC played a clip of Obama at a similar ceremony for George W. Bush's portrait. Obama remarked on how each resident of the White House is really just renting the place, and has only a short time before handing it over to the next occupant. Obvious comparisons were made with the former guy who didn't want to do the handover at all, but the overall tone was a celebration of the glories of American Democracy, where even the most powerful must leave on a quadrennial or octennial schedule. Today, of course, we celebrate the opposite, people who can only be removed by death, cognitives dissonanting all the while. Democracy, not-democracy, we love it all.
Unequivocal gratitude to you for this piece. I thought I was the only one less than devastated and more than appropriately sympathetic for this poor wealthy old woman who gratefully now is likely out of the final physical discomforts of age and even more happily not subjected to the fatuous exaggerations of what a marvelous human being she had been from royal womb to lavish tomb. At least she became ever so only minutes after her last gasp. I'll say no more. You did a fine job. Long live le Roy verite! There's an accent or two in there, folks.
I remember a Jewish friend of mine being very upset when I said that the Pope was just a man eith a funny hat whose pronouncements meant nothing to me. My friend said I should at least respect the position of Pope.
Oy.
Toffs" is such a good word! And you use it well.
So while the rest of America is talking "How 'bout them Bills? " we're discussing Oscar Wilde on Charles Dickens. Do I ever feel superior!
Wait a minute - isn't that the sort of things the Toffs talk about?
What -Paddington Bear is dead!?!
Never gave a fuck about the royal family. If I ever did, can’t recall when.
Full disclosure: I’ve always had issues with the German Queen that a) she owned all of DaVinci’s anatomical drawings and b) kept them locked away in Windsor Palace. And a more current, lesser beef: Prince Andrew (allegedly) remained her favorite child til the end.
That said, I find her death suspicious. Im guessing King Chuck’s behind it, or maybe Wills and Kate are trying to frame Chuck because, seriously, wait another couple of decades. Or Liz Truss who deserves to blamed for everything.
But to quote Sleepy Joe Biden in different circumstances: Big fucking deal.
Despite being an ostensible democracy, many people in the USA are fixated with royalty and hereditary titles. Witness the 19th century heiresses who married bankrupt English noblemen or the nitwits today who buy a square inch of land in Scotland so they can call themselves a "lord of the manor." The irony lies in the fact that the House of Hanover is one of the most junior, least distinguished European dynasties. Hell, Scandinavian royalty can trace their ancestry back eleven hundred years (the Japanese Emperor can go back 1700!). My guess is the focus largely derives from our colonial history and the fact that the House of Hanover is basically the only one that still puts on a lot of pomp and circumstance. I still think it's all bullshit.
Awesome as usual, Roy, but do you really think Nooners would let a full fifth of <i>anything</i> pass by without realizing it?
Thanks for your take on the media feeding frenzy, Roy. As for myself, I feel like I must be the only person in the world who hasn’t been paying any attention to this and frankly doesn’t care. I mean, I heard some details and schmaltzing from the BBC, but that’s because I occasionally listen to the 3-minute BBC Radio 1 news updates at the top of the hour.
As for the extravagant, hyperbolic takes, I think Crow T. Robot said it best: “There are more trends than ever nowadays, and it’s important to know about them, and react!”
MeMeMegan: "Queen Elizabeth presided over the end of the British Empire, not its expansion, and also, parliament has been charge of Britain's foreign policy for the whole of her reign."
Periodic reminder that her first prime minister was senescent Winston Churchill. Her second was Anthony Eden, who fumbled Suez.
Thanks, Roy. The fucking flag is flying at half-staff in New York City for the fucking queen of England. WTF?
Question for any anglophiles out there: Does the royal family have any real power at all, besides spending money?
I look forward to Peggy Noonan's breathless, tearful valediction to Henry Kissinger. Because it will mean that the universe is finally rid of him.
I have a few friends who are weirdly besotted with the Windsors. I feel a certain pang at the news, but that’s because of the prominent world figures who were around when I first started paying attention to the news in the late fifties/early sixties—Eisenhower, Kennedy, Macmillan, de Gaulle, Adenauer, Churchill, Nehru, Khrushchev, John XXIII, Franco, Nasser, Ben-Gurion, Castro, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, etc.—she was the last one standing. I used to joke that she had some kind of Tithonus arrangement going, and would outlive not merely Charles but William and George as well. It’s not as though I cried myself to sleep last night, but it does feel as though a feature of the landscape has gone missing.
It really is odd that a country which fought a bloody and violent revolution against the British crown would fawn over said monarchy, but then again, the United States is a hodgepodge nation and many of us are stupid beyond belief.
Yesterday, I was reminded of Patrick Freyne's article about Oprah's interview with Harry and Megan in the Irish Times. It was a throwback to when journalism still had sharp teeth, with great paragraphs like this:
"Having a queen as head of state is like having a pirate or a mermaid or Ewok as head of state. What’s the logic? Bees have queens, but the queen bee lays all of the eggs in the hive. The queen of the Britons has laid just four British eggs, and one of those is the sweatless creep Prince Andrew, so it’s hardly deserving of applause."
I was never able to understand the outpouring of emotion at the death of Diana, only a former Royal, so I suspect that there will be something like that over this. Oh where is Cromwell and of course Milton when you need them?
Just want to check in by saying ROY'S TITLES ARE AWESOME and we should all marvel at how he manages to pull it off every time.
Couldn’t care less about the Queen but this was funny: the TV folks were quoting all the nice things Presidents said about her and I said, “What if Trump said, ‘She wasn’t my type, I wouldn’t do her,’” and my wife missed the “what if” part and said, “Just what I’d expect from that asshole.” So the true nature of The Donald is now part of our history and always will be.
Also Elton John paid tribute to Liz. You woulda thought Cher had died, or Judy.
".....the rich could certainly come up with the money to buy enough of us off to keep themselves safe from even ridicule, never mind revolt"
I am interested in your ideas and wish to subscr............oh, wait....
A couple of days ago when the Obamas had the unveiling of their official portraits at the White House, MSNBC played a clip of Obama at a similar ceremony for George W. Bush's portrait. Obama remarked on how each resident of the White House is really just renting the place, and has only a short time before handing it over to the next occupant. Obvious comparisons were made with the former guy who didn't want to do the handover at all, but the overall tone was a celebration of the glories of American Democracy, where even the most powerful must leave on a quadrennial or octennial schedule. Today, of course, we celebrate the opposite, people who can only be removed by death, cognitives dissonanting all the while. Democracy, not-democracy, we love it all.
Unequivocal gratitude to you for this piece. I thought I was the only one less than devastated and more than appropriately sympathetic for this poor wealthy old woman who gratefully now is likely out of the final physical discomforts of age and even more happily not subjected to the fatuous exaggerations of what a marvelous human being she had been from royal womb to lavish tomb. At least she became ever so only minutes after her last gasp. I'll say no more. You did a fine job. Long live le Roy verite! There's an accent or two in there, folks.