The British Crown is a useless anachronism.

@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Foofie wrote:
Look how the Commonwealth has expanded during the Queen's reign, to include countries that want to join, and were not prior colonies. I think the Queen was able to effect that better than any "join the Commonwealth advertisement campaign."

Which is quite easy to explain, since the "Commonwealth of Nations" really began with the independence of India and Pakistan from Britain in 1947. (The Statute of Westminster, which was more or less the legal framework for it, was adopted by the UK parliament in 1931, though.)

You have not explained why there is no Queenly "charisma" cause and effect with the non-ex-colonies wanting to join?

Could you post to me in a more condescending manner, since you assume I have some European perception of the facts you offer above? I have specifically never made an attempt to learn much about Europe and its culture/history. Guess why.

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@Walter Hinteler,

It's the Life Of Brian all over again, they'd rather fight each other than the real enemy.

Btw, watch Ed Milliband. I think he'll surprise a lot of people. I voted for him as party leader.

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@Joe Nation,

I was poor & destitute and I thought it was because I pissed up all my money but hey I didn't know the royal family were to blame.But no sorry the ideology was forced on me,I don't give a toss realy.I don't understand why people especially young people are so keen to get everything just the way they would like it all tobe.We can't always expect tobe able to change everything around just cause it's not to our liking.Freedom of speech is obviously very important and a rebellious nature is a fantastic thing.But I have often found people tobe abusive on the subject and I am not into that sort of thing not in any way not towards me not towards anyone.I've had a lot of jumped up friends who thought they knew it all you see.The royal family serve to confound people which can't be a bad thing.I was just an old piss head but people can be my guest if they think they are so clever,I'm sure the Queen will move out into some squalid flat if they ask her nicely enough.I'm not being advocated into doing things and I think the punk movement was cheap & tacky.

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I disagree, Joe. The British Crown might appear to be a useless anachronism in your personal opinion, but to many Britons, it's very much the DNA of their heritage and culture. As the monarchy is constitutional, the monarch is limited to non-partisan functions and is the nominal head of the vast British Empire; there are a few commonwealth countries who would like to break away, like Canada, for instance, but will wait until the current Queen is no longer Queen.

I respect the British people's culture as I hope they will respect mine, the United States of America.

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@nydia2013,

nydia2013 wrote:

there are a few commonwealth countries who would like to break away, like Canada, for instance, but will wait until the current Queen is no longer Queen.

you're clearly not very tuned in to Canadian politics

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@Ragman,

I certainly agree the "Royals are figureheads" and primarily "International Diplomats." And boy, what a show! The monarchy is very much a part of the British people's heritage and they take it seriously. It might be popular for some Britons to belittle the Monarchy, but they are in the minority. When Princess Diana was killed prematurely, the nation was grief stricken as if it were a personal member of their family. Being an American I find the monarchy fascinating and have read quite a lot regarding them, going all the way back to Elizabeth I.

And, yet, it is very easy to see where one might see the Monarchy as an anachronism. Different strokes......

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@nydia2013,

I meant to correct my choice of words. Royals are not diplomats. I should have called them Ambassadors of British good will. Diplomat has a different connotation.

Quote:

"When Princess Diana was killed prematurely, the nation was grief stricken as if it were a personal member of their family."

Brits and the world took Diana to their hearts - not the Royals.
You have grossly misinterpreted this situation. The Brits as well as the rest of the world became obsessed with anything Diana. As a result of how the Royalty mishandled her death and the funeral, the popularity of the Royals took a huge hit - rightfully so.

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@Ragman,

Quote:

Brits and the world took Diana to their hearts - not the Royals.
You have grossly misinterpreted this situation. The Brits as well as the rest of the world became obsessed with anything Diana. As a result of how the Royalty mishandled her death and the funeral, the popularity of the Royals took a huge hit - rightfully so.

Diana was an extension of the Royals. It was the Royal Family that placed her high where she could be spotlighted and adored (after her death). Diana was much criticized for her promiscuity and lack of public decorum. Of course many understood the psychological reasoning behind her somewhat wayward behavior after Charles threw her over for the aging Camilla, his true love. (Diana was a baby factory.) This is why after her untimely death, the world's heart went out to her, with a feeling a guilt that many had hated her for casting the royal family in a bad light. But we forgot one thing in our rush to judgement regarding Diana....she was a young woman, scorned by her husband, thoroughly disliked by the Queen, and very lonely, feeling displaced by her ouster from the Royal Family. Diana owes her "popularity" to the Royal Family....but as your post indicates, the Royals owe her as well because she injected a new energy into a fading institution....Diana brought glamour and a sense of youth.....Charles, her unfaithful husband, was jealous of the limelight shown on Diana.

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@Ragman,

Quote:

I meant to correct my choice of words. Royals are not diplomats. I should have called them Ambassadors of British good will. Diplomat has a different connotation.

The Royals are Top Diplomats which is the same as Ambassadors for their country and commonwealth.

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Why an American gives a damn about the British royalty is beyond me.

Why a Brit would feel the slightest inclination to defend the British royalty to a Yank is even more perplexing.

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@nydia2013,

Well they certainly are a object of fascination for you, but why? All the royals are are a bunch of toffs who've gotten all the wealth from the backs of people like you and me.
Joe( to like them is masochistic) Nation

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@ehBeth,

Quote:

nydia2013 wrote:
there are a few commonwealth countries who would like to break away, like Canada, for instance, but will wait until the current Queen is no longer Queen.
____
you're clearly not very tuned in to Canadian politics

I do not profess to be very much in tune to Canadian politics. I'm more interested in US politics and middle east foreign policy. I have a few Canadian friends who're not enamored with the British monarchy and are quite indifferent.....they don't like being a commonwealth.....but I only know two or three from Canada and that hardly constitute the whole.

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@Joe Nation,

Quote:

@nydia2013,
Well they certainly are a object of fascination for you, but why? All the royals are are a bunch of toffs who've gotten all the wealth from the backs of people like you and me.
Joe( to like them is masochistic) Nation

Let's say I'm growing away from my once preoccupation for the Royals. My interest awakened again with the somewhat recent hospitalization of Prince Philip who will be 92 years in June, followed a couple of weeks ago by the Queen's admittance to the hospital for a gastrointestinal attack. That rebooted my interest because the Monarch will be 87 years old in April. As an afterthought, Prince Charles is most likely salivating at the thought his turn might come any day.

As for the Royals having gotten their wealth on the backs of people like you and me, well, I don't qualify as I'm not a Briton, and the Queen's wealth might be measured in land handed down by previous monarchs along with paintings, homes, and other priceless treasures, including salt cellars from the first Elizabeth.

And Joe, you're welcome to your opinion that I'm masochistic because of my interest in them....I don't presuppose I'm alone....there is quite a following with clubs dedicated to this topic which I do not belong. But the Royal Family is not my only interest, and trust me, I have quite a few other fascinations.

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There is a certain class of liberals who long for a return to an era their romantic fancies have conjured.

They rant about the current British monarchy hoping to channel the peasants of the French and Russian Revolutions.

They elevate the inconvenienced to the status of the oppressed to channel the Freedom Marchers of the early 60's.

They cast our volunteer military as hapless, suicidal victims to channel the fury of Vietnam era anti-war activists who ranted about baby-killing Mongol-like hordes.

They are either the old and tired who have glorified their memories or the young who have swallowed them whole.

Regardless, they are pathetic.

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@nydia2013,

I hope you had a lot of fun following Liz Windsor's bowel movements, personally I thought it was unwarranted.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

There is a certain class of liberals who long for a return to an era their romantic fancies have conjured.

They rant about the current British monarchy hoping to channel the peasants of the French and Russian Revolutions.

There's a certain type of American who thinks they can tell us what to do. Some go on about the Royals, others, like you, attack the NHS.

Quote:

Regardless, they are pathetic.

You got that right.

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@Finn dAbuzz,

Quote:

Why an American gives a damn about the British royalty is beyond me

We tire of fawning over Snooky or the Kardashians so we tune in to observe other talentless people of the world. Im watching a show about the Deli Llama.

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@izzythepush,

Izzy me boy - please show me where I have "gone on" about the NHS.

Really, I don't care whether or not you have socialized medicine. It doesn't bother or threaten me anymore than your national aversion to flouride Cool

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@farmerman,

What? You don't think Tenzin is all that?

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@Finn dAbuzz,

naah, he was just workin for wages. I saw that the very last member of the Hillary expedition just died the other day.

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The British Crown is a useless anachronism.

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