Royalty

Platinum Jubilee: So What?

~ beetleypete ~ 57 Comments

Anyone who reads this blog must already be aware that I am not a Royalist. I am the opposite of a royalist, not in favour of a monarchy, whoever represents that institution.

Now we are faced with a seemingly endless ‘celebration’ of Elizabeth II being queen for 70 years. Commercialism run riot. Souvenir coins, Queen face masks, special edition magazines, crockery, mugs, cakes, T-shirts, flags, even special packets of biscuits and sweets. The sycophantic newspapers and TV channels are getting set for a season of ‘Jubilee Tributes’ and broadcasts, and millions of ordinary people are staging Jubilee parties in streets, schools, parks, and other venues.

Elizabeth Windsor is one of the richest people in Europe. Her ‘personal wealth’ (that inherited wealth stolen by her ancestors over the centuries from other people and the colonies of the former Empire) is estimated to be around £350,000,000. As well as that, the taxpayers contribute millions to her upkeep, and that of some of her extended family. Many members of that family live in reasonably luxurious rent-free ‘Grace and Favour’ apartments or palaces, also at public expense.

2022 may be her 70th year as monarch, but it also happens to be the year when the cost of living in Britain has never been higher. The year when food prices, gas prices, petrol prices, and electricity prices have become unaffordable for many hard-working people on low wages. When there are more Food Banks in most British towns than actual banks, and many families will not be heating their homes properly this winter because they simply cannot afford to do so.

It is also the year when a discredited, lying, and corrupt Prime Minister refused to resign. When his lies were discovered, he changed the Ministerial Code of Parliament so he would no longer be subject to it. A dictator in all but name, using Royalist ballyhoo to cover up his own shameful political record.

The estimated cost of all this wonderful Platinum Jubliee celebration to the nation? £1,3000,000,000. That is ONE POINT THREE BILLION POUNDS.

I can think of far better ways to spend that, in a time of crisis.

You will find me celebrating when the monarchy is abolished, and not before.

Sunday Musings On A Sunny Morning

~ beetleypete ~ 55 Comments

Greeted by sunshine and 20 degrees this morning. (68F) That’s cheerful, and (almost) compensated for the crows waking me up at 4:30am and it taking me ages to get back to sleep again.

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Still no news about whether or not my driving licence will be renewed. Approaching four months since my application, and no reply to the medical forms I sent off recently. So I am driving around as much as I can, while I still can.

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On Monday and Tuesday this week, we had the gardening company in to smarten up the back patio. The old wooden dining table had to go, as some of the wood had rotted. I broke it up to use on the log-burner next winter. We will evetually get a smaller table. The 8-seater table bought in 2011 has only been used to full effect on two occasions since, and spent most of it’s time under a cover, or being soaked by unexpected rain. One of those ‘seemed like a good idea at the time’ purchases.

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I’m giving UK politics and the war in Ukraine a miss this week. I expect, like me, most of you are worn out with all that this year.

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Lots of news about the Queen’s 70th Jubilee celebrations. Patriotic bunting in supermarkets, ‘Platinum Jubilee’ special offers, and various sycophantic reports and celebratory concerts and events. Regular readers will know I am not in favour of a monarchy, so you can guarantee I will be showing no interest in the Jubilee whatsoever.

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Ollie has been back cooling off in the river, and started to eat his dinners properly again after a few days where he seemed to be starving himself deliberately. It was a relief when he began to eat everything again.

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I wish you all a happy and peaceful Sunday, wherever you happen to be.

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Royal News Blackout

~ beetleypete ~ 28 Comments

*** UPDATE***

Please see Fraggle’s comment below. This clip is supposedly from 2018, according to the people who posted it, and not from yesterday

I am reblogging this from my other site, as I feel it is very important.

REDFLAGFLYING

Unless you have seen it featured on Twitter, you will be unaware of a loud protest by a fair-sized crowd outside Buckingham Palace in London today.

This is a protest against Prince Andrew’s involvement in the trafficking of underage girls for sex, part of the Epstein scandal in America. The Prince has also declined to appear in court in America, where he might face charges of sex with underage girls at the Epstein mansion.

Not that Andrew is in the palace. The Queen isn’t there either, and has decided ‘not to return for some time’. I doubt anyone is in there, except the poorly-paid staff, and royal lackeys who keep the whole thing going at the taxpayer’s expense.

That in itself is disturbing enough, the fact that Royal privilege means he is exempt from being extradited to America to give evidence. He cannot be arrested by US Federal agents in…

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Escaping ‘That Wedding’

~ beetleypete ~ 88 Comments

I might be busy on this blog tomorrow. As well as that, Ollie will certainly be getting a longer than usual walk, I assure you. Unless you have been in a coma for a very long time, you cannot fail to be aware that there is to be a Royal Wedding in Windsor on Saturday. Prince Harry is to wed his American bride, with all the trappings of the traditional pomp and ceremony adored by the people of this land.

Not adored by me of course, as anyone who knows me will tell you. I am not a Royalist, and if you have ever glanced at my other blog, you will be aware that I have made that clear, in no uncertain terms.

The circus has well and truly come to town. Thousands of television network reporters from all over the globe have claimed their spots and vantage points. The usual gang of deluded Royal fans have established themselves alongside the railings on Windsor’s streets, with many being in place since last week. News coverage of the event started last week too, and has now reached constant fever pitch on the BBC here. They go over and over about the route, what the bride will wear, and who is invited, or not. Recent ‘Breaking News’ declared that The Duke of Edinburgh is well enough to attend, quickly glossing over the fact that the bride’s father will not be around to walk her down the aisle.

Drilling into the tiniest details, we hear that she may, or may not, wear a tiara, loaned to her by the Queen. The wedding cake is in the hands of an American cake-maker, flown in for the job. It is going to contain no less than 500 of the finest organic eggs, sourced from Suffolk. Flavour will be supplied by 10 bottles of Elderflower cordial from the Royal estate at Sandringham, and 200 lemons all the way from the Amalfi coast. Sweetness and softness will be covered, as 20 kilos of butter and the same of sugar will be added.

I am sure that this is heartening news for the women who will spend their time visiting local food banks, to get enough stuff to provide their children with a meal today.

Let’s not forget the young lady’s engagement ring. This features a huge central diamond, flanked by stones taken from the ring of the late Lady Diana, Harry’s mother. A ring of such quality would ordinarily cost anything up to £100,000, but as it includes stones from the ring of Lady Diana, it is described as ‘priceless’. So, a few million at least, I’m guessing.

Great consolation for the workers in Windsor, earning £320 a week, on a minimum-wage, no-hours contract, I’m sure.

Whatever I think, and this is just the tip of my thought iceberg, the world will be watching, (including my wife) with one notable exception. Me.

And before everyone gets too excited, have a think about what happened the last time a member of the Royal Family married an American Divorcee.
I feel sorry for the girl. Life as she knew it is over.