Today in 1917, the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha crime crew got a makeover.
The First World War was still locked in a bloody stalemate, and the working class in these islands were being encouraged to hate and kill Germans.
Consequently, it was probably a good idea to stop advertising that the British royals were, in fact, ethnic Huns.
So the House of Windsor was born because that was the name of their main gaff.
Two weeks after the announcement, the battle of Passchendaele (third battle of Ypres) commenced.
The British casualty figures for this Allied offensive are contested.
However, all of them are appalling, with the lowest agreed figure for the British being over 250,00.
One historian writing in 1958 put the British figure as high as 448,688.
That the Kaiser and the British King were first cousins and grandsons of Queen Victoria makes the slaughter on the Western front seem all the more disgustingly pointless.
The majority of the Irish Volunteers heeded John Redmond and joined the British Army.
They arrived in Flanders in the belief that they were there to fight “ for the rights of small nations”.
History has not judged him kindly.
He was, at best, utterly naïve to put his trust in people like Asquith and Lloyd George.
Thankfully my kin who were in the Volunteers decided that Ireland would be their battleground when the time was right.
Over a century on and many Brits still seem enthralled by this celebrity feudalism.
It isn’t a good look.
Could it change?
Could it be that one day this guy queueing at Pizza express in Woking is just another ordinary nonce?
This excellent piece in the Ferret indicates that there might be something moving in civil society.
Across the UK, there seems to be a marked generation divide on this issue.
“Just 37 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds backed the monarchy’s continuation and 42 per cent supported an elected head of state.”
Scotland had the highest level of support for republicanism out of all the component parts of the UK.
“Forty-four per cent supported the monarchy in the Opinium poll, with 37 per cent backing a republic. This was the smallest margin in favour of the monarchy across the regions included in the poll.”
That means that young people in Scotland are the most likely in the UK to favour living in a republic.
Obviously, we must exclude the Ibrox klanbase from that cohort.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is an excellent feeling as a citizen to cast your vote and choose who will be your head of state.
The current occupant of Áras an Uachtaráin is a star. He understands his constitutional role perfectly.
I was last in his presence on the Mall at Westport in May 2016 when he honoured the 31 men who were deported to Wales and interned in Frongoch camp.
Of course, the 1917 makeover worked.
Today, the vast majority of Brits, especially those in Ingerlund, despite their boorish antipathy towards Germany, have little idea that their Royal family is as British as sauerkraut.
One day they might get there and have a written constitution capable of being democratically altered by referendum and, of course, an elected head of state.
Until then, viewers in Scotland have their own programme.
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When Volkswagen bought Rolls-Royce, the late Alan Coren observed:
“Rolls-Royce is the car that is advertised as being as British as the Royal Family…
Now it’s true.”
Any idea who was the last monarch to be born in Germany, or which were not born in Britain.
Don’t choke on your cornflakes: a genuine headline from ‘The Daily Mail’ today;
“Prince William has been comforting the three black England footballers subjected to racist abuse after missing penalties”
Let the Repugnant Royal Rebranding begin! 😦
It is my opinion that ‘royalty’ is an anachronism in the 21st century and I include Dutch and Swedish alongside the English queen when I say they should all be abolished in every European country that has one. By the way Phil, there is a good video about the West Mayo Flying Column on Youtube. OK, so they refer to the Peter the Painter as a revolver rather than a pistol but it is a good watch
I have a gut feeling that Prince William is going to create all holy hell when he takes over from Aufseherin Betty.
He’s been biding his time have no fear about that.
I don’t easily take offence at all but have to admit that I do find the mere existence of a privileged, obscenely rich – yet publicly funded – family highly offensive. And more so as time goes by.
When us plebs have been battered over the head for the last 20+ years with ‘PC gone mad’, to being seen to be socially inclusive, to being seen to be promoting diversity, etc…
we have a publicly fawned upon family which represents absolutely none of these values which the average UK taxpayer has generally accepted and embraced – in the main.
Will be interesting to see how quickly the remaining goodwill towards the family will evaporate when the Queen passes…
so a desperate ‘rebranding’ must already be planned…? 😦
I was actually having this conversation with my late teens daughter recently …. A half-Scot England dwelling anti-monarchist to be proud of .. although there is one main source and influence on her views on this.
We were musing over the U.K. (as a whole’s) current enthusiasm for a royal family and how it simply (al other reasons aside) didn’t fit in with a 21st century nation trying to reach a point of equality on all fronts.
Sit back and look at the royal family as a concept … and it is utterly ridiculous.
The question of what would happen once Queen Elizabeth Saxe Coburg-gothe finally joins Prince Phillip of Corfu in eternal rest???
A week of compulsory mourning? A concerted media campaign to try and boost their relevance to a 21st century U.K.? Pro royal media and spin doctoring at defcon 5 ?
Sadly we concluded that there would be a weakening of resolve in any republican-curious fence-sitters and a (media inflated) groundswell of pro- monarchy “ Britain does it best”,and “but they do so much for tourism and the economy” pish… that any hopes for an end to this mediaeval system will have to go on simmer for another cycle.
Instead of losing a long outdated monarchy, feudal elitist system and archaic government structure … we will be subjected to a costly state funeral, an even costlier coronation, the currency all being replaced with a new face, continued honours for highly paid sportsmen and privileged people only doing their jobs (possibly) correctly,
The royal family probably know they are irrelevant and the cynical media PR campaigns to portray them as tech-savvy saviours of the environment is a last ditch cling to what they can attempt to survive…
I truly hope that Queen Elizabeth II is also the last queen of the nation and that when Scotland finally gains independence…. It also frees itself from any association with her and any descendants.
Whatever happens…. It’s going to be interesting.
God save the queen by the pistols told the truth, a fascist regime, God bless John lydon
Phil
As British as sauerkraut, quite magnificent. Not sure if my comment is relevant, but does anyone else ever get the notion to spray paint Waffen in front of the 55 slogan, anytime they see 55 on a wall, If the shoe fits and all that…
That’s a cracker ma freen, perhaps if I were a lot younger and back in the mad mental days but alas, I am older and wiser ??? “Aye right”
I will now.