The U.K. Monarch's Diamond Jubilee
I am not a monarchist by a long chalk. This goes back a long way.
When I was twelve years old Queen Elizabeth made her first official visit to my home City - Bristol, U.K. Of course we had a day off school, and were expected to line the streets and wave our Union Flags.
I had no patience, even at the age of twelve, for all things Royal, so I chose not to do so, much to my mother's dismay. She, like many Britons of the WW II era had a great respect for the British Royal family.
Nonetheless, 60 years is a good innings as Head of State.
So having attended the 8:00 Eucharist at St. B's today, I tuned in to live coverage of the River Thames flotilla when I returned home.
It was a wee bit underwhelming.
I had imagined Tall Ships and Royal Navy Vessels in abundance, i.e. something rather more grand than today's motley flotilla.
The coverage by the BBC was dismal. There were miserable camera angles, sound and vision breakdowns, useless cut-away interviews, and "over the top" fawning and sophomoric commentary.
( I have checked with British new sources, and many others have expressed similar sentiments about the Beeb's coverage).
Nevertheless the old lady seemed to be having a good time. She smiled a lot, and waved even more.
There is a marked lack of sympathy for republican government in the United Kingdom.
That being the case we must wish E II R many more years. She is infinitely to be prefered over her pampered, reactionary, antediluvian and fuss-budget son and heir.
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Here is part of the oath I swore when I became a United States Citizen in 1984: I took the oath seriously, but I add it here "tongue in cheek", in view of my lack of enthusiasm for the Monarchy in the land of my birth and heritage.
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;
When I was twelve years old Queen Elizabeth made her first official visit to my home City - Bristol, U.K. Of course we had a day off school, and were expected to line the streets and wave our Union Flags.
I had no patience, even at the age of twelve, for all things Royal, so I chose not to do so, much to my mother's dismay. She, like many Britons of the WW II era had a great respect for the British Royal family.
Nonetheless, 60 years is a good innings as Head of State.
So having attended the 8:00 Eucharist at St. B's today, I tuned in to live coverage of the River Thames flotilla when I returned home.
It was a wee bit underwhelming.
I had imagined Tall Ships and Royal Navy Vessels in abundance, i.e. something rather more grand than today's motley flotilla.
The coverage by the BBC was dismal. There were miserable camera angles, sound and vision breakdowns, useless cut-away interviews, and "over the top" fawning and sophomoric commentary.
( I have checked with British new sources, and many others have expressed similar sentiments about the Beeb's coverage).
Nevertheless the old lady seemed to be having a good time. She smiled a lot, and waved even more.
There is a marked lack of sympathy for republican government in the United Kingdom.
That being the case we must wish E II R many more years. She is infinitely to be prefered over her pampered, reactionary, antediluvian and fuss-budget son and heir.
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P.S.
Here is part of the oath I swore when I became a United States Citizen in 1984: I took the oath seriously, but I add it here "tongue in cheek", in view of my lack of enthusiasm for the Monarchy in the land of my birth and heritage.
"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen;
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