Saturday 2 June 2012

Tea and Crumpets For Everyone!

I say, my dear readers, what a spiffing sort of day it is. I apologise for any glitches that may appear in this hologram - it's very fine work, but dear old Igor had little time to perfect it before I had to set it up to entertain you, my lovely chums. You see, I could not bear to leave you alone wondering what had become of me, especially after the attack of those dastardly awards in the last post.

So, to ease your mind, I will happily let you know that I am at my granny's, playing with my small cousins and getting ready to join in their celebration of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

Good old Queenie. You've got to wonder how she puts up with us - those of us that aren't complaining about the existence of the Royal family (who seem to be a minority, and a much disliked one at that) are busy whinging about everything else, and yet she still has to smile and shake our hands and pretend we're a nation of angels. And she's been doing it for sixty years now, and has yet to get caught with her royal panties down.

Personally, I'm a proud monarchist. I know our monarchs have been little more than symbolic for a long time now, but I believe they are an essential part of British history. Most of the great events of our little island - the Hundred Years War, the Wars of the Roses, the eventual union of England and Scotland, the battles of Agincourt and Crecy - they've all been overseen, and often instigated, by the nutters in crowns at the top. Britain is one of the last nations in the world to still have a monarchy - I believe Denmark are our only European counterparts - and I reckon it's something we ought to be proud of, not ashamed.

Sure, we've had some pretty revolting monarchs. I might mention Richard the Lionheart, the so-called hero of the Crusades ... who ordered the deaths of innocent Saracens across the Holy Land, impoverished his country and left us in the care of his not-as-evil-as-we-think, but still pretty useless, brother John. Or the Georges who followed Victoria, ruling at a time when England was heavily engaged in the slave trade and profitted from the dark side of the Industrial Revolution. And that's without mentioning all the political playoffs, wars, treaties, taxes and unpleasant vegetables the average pleb put up with in the thousand and one ages between all of this lot.

But, despite that, one has to admit that every country has it's good and bad sides. Yes, we advocated the slave trade for profit. Yes, we subjugated much of the world in our Empire, and were right pigs when they wanted their independence. Yes, we inflicted tea on America.

But our monarchy has also done amazing things. Elizabeth I, rousing her troops to defiance in the face of the Spanish Armada. Her father Henry VIII, breaking away from Rome and laying the foundations for the modern Church of England. James VI, King of Scotland, who united England and Wales with his own homeland upon the death of Elizabeth. Charles II, who brought the monarchy - and plays, and alcohol, and singing, and most other things one would consider fun - back after the end of Cromwell's republic.

Today, we still remember the charitable work of Princess Diana. Last year, the Royal Wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William was watched and dribbled over not just by their own ridiculously enthusiastic nation, but by the entire world.

And who can forget Queenie herself. When she visited the abbey in the sleepy little town where I live, the entire populace of every hamlet in the vicinity turned out to come and watch her. Her devotion to her duty, and this country, is something nobody can deny on pain of death by angry Brit.

Thus, over this long weekend, I think it's time for the nation to sit back and do what we do best - drink tea, eat cake, dodge rainclouds and be proud to be British.

And on a more personal level, to all of you here from me, irregardless of your history - I know we're hosting a few lovely Pond-Hopping Americans here, at least! - I wish you all a wonderful weekend. And to all my fellow Brits, of whatever ilk ... care to join me in a round of "God Save the Queen"?




~ Charley R

21 comments:

  1. I love that song. Of course, I always start it out singing America the Beautiful, then end it with a loud "GOD SAVE THE KING/QUEEN/GOPHER". I take the best of both countries.

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  2. I ditto Liam.

    You know that Queen Elizabeth is 4 years away from becoming England's longest reigning monarch?
    God Save the Queen! (For 5 more years.)

    -D. Skye <3

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    1. Woohoo! Five years and more, I say. I think she's fantastic :)

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    2. Yes she is quite fantastic.
      Do you think she'll outlive Prince Charles?

      -D. Skye

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    3. Hmmm .. I don't think so. Unfortunately. Not that I wish death on either of them, but she's 84 after all!

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    4. Well she might, you never know. Royals have ways of killing each other off. I thought she was closer to 90, but I guess I was wrong.
      Long live the Queen! (Really long! Heehee.)

      -D. Skye

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    5. Hehehe, I think we're past the time of murdering each other - they get into more trouble for it now than they used to ;)

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  3. DON'T DISS THE TEA.

    To be honest, I couldn't really care either way. I'm not for or against the Royals, I just don't really care. I actually forgot it was the jubilee today. :/

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    1. Fair enough to you .... *aside* OFF WITH HER HEAD!

      hee hee, I joke, I joke. ;)

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  4. From across the pond, a proud salute to the old Union flag. And God save the queen!

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  5. Seems to me you've got a few of us Puddle Jumper here to Shout "God Save the Queen!" with you... Of course I"m a day late but you just reitterated the lesson on monarchy that I was given by my step-father when I mentioned how weird it will be when he Son takes the thrown and we'll have to say God Save the King - strangely Lovely King Georie makes me think twice about saying that with you. *grins*

    And it wasn't the team my Dear Charley it was the Tax on the Tea. "No taxation without representation".. Sorry that's the New Englander in my surfacing. to many years learning about the Mayflower, Pilgrams and the Boston tea Party. *grins*

    Hope your weekend was lovely. My was exhausting. :}

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    1. Blah, same difference - tea and misery on America, that's our strategy! Bwua ha ha ha ha ha ha!

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    2. Yes, well I do enjoy a good earl Grey or English breakfast Tea on occasion. :P *giggles*

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  6. Had a great weekend watching the concert and the parade :) and yesterday, me and my friend Rose (of the blog Mad Roses and Oopsie Daisies) got all patriotic making red and white strawberries (after dipping in white chocolate you're meant to add blue sprinkles for a Union Jack effect but we thought it'd make them sickly so we decided against it :L) and chocolate honeycomb muffins in Union Jack cases :) hehehe, I love an excuse to bake something ;)

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    1. Haha, that sounds fantastic! Glad you had a good time - and welcome to the Tower :)

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  7. I missed all of it. I love my country, I love the fact that we have a monarchy, etc, etc. But work were offering double pay for anyone that would be willing to come in over the Jubilee weekend.

    And unfortunately, Random needs the money right now. Boring priorities of being a boring adult. Drinking tea and just being stereotypically British, had to be put on a back burner.

    But hope you had a good extended weekend, watching the Queenie!

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    1. Awww. Well, you were being a typical Brit in your own way - sucking it up and getting on with what needs to be done. And secretly rejoicing that you were getting paid while others weren't ;)

      Hehe, I had a good time ... even if it was mostly from giggling at how damp everyone got, bahaha!

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  8. Yay Britain! *waves flag in support*

    Although I must say every time someone mentions "God Save the Queen" this is what plays in my head: (starts at 1:09)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5iu_JNvPII

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