Royalty in Canada

[tvordlj]

With the Jubilee this weekend, i muse...
Most of my friends in the UK are not fans of the Royal family in any way. Most of my friends in Canada are monarchists. Oh sure, there's always a lot of grumbling in the newspapers about our tax dollars being spent when a member of the Royal family comes to Canada but perhaps if my tax dollars were supporting the whole 'fam damily' on a daily basis, i might feel differently, i don't know.

My respect and interest in Royalty stems from my love of history. I had an excellent teacher in grade 9 for British History and he really made it interesting. I've had an interest in it ever since. The monarchy is a link to a long past. And in Canada, the Queen has always been affectionately regarded, at least when i was growing up. Perhaps a bit less so now but she is still our head of state since we are still in the Commonwealth and there's still enough support to keep her there.

There are still plenty of countries that support a monarchy of their own. They tend to be a bit lower key than the British monarchy but they're still there. I expect when QEII dies, Charles may ramp it down a bit and when he goes, William very likely will turn it into the "working" monarchy, the lower key style and bring it into the 21st century.

Some people complain that there's no reason to applaud a woman who's been on the throne 60 years since she's only had the benefit of the best medical care money can buy. So what? A lot of other people do too. Health is health. If you are blessed with rude hearty health, you're lucky. If you get stricken by disease, you may recover or you may not. Medicine may or may not save you. It's all up to fate. QEII seems to be one of the lucky ones who hasn't suffered any major diseases like cancer. Even if they'd kept it quiet, I think her appearance would show if she's been battling a major illness. She seems to have amazing energy for someone that age. She'd be well in her rights to retire from all that traveling she does each year and let the younger generations do it.

Everyone has their opinion and i admit, living in Canada makes it a bit different than living in the UK. But having the interests that i do and being brought up in a country that always respected the monarchy, even now though there are growing pockets of descension (i know that's spelled wrong. can't be arsed to look it up) I'm pleased to be giving a nod to the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee. I've even bought a mug and tea towel ;)

In other news i am ill. I hab a code. Well actually it's not a cold in my head it's in my chest and i'm coughing. This sucks. And i was supposed to have a day surgery on Monday and i've rescheduled that for later in July because i am not comfortable going under anaestetic with a chest cold. Even worse news, the date they gave me is the date of the Parade of Sail for this year's Tall Ships festival. Bummer. Never mind, i'll spend the weekend taking photos of the ships docked instead.

Today is my current manager's last day. We'll be supervised by someone that used to be my manager a couple of years ago so that's good. The "devil" you know and all that. I'll miss the leaving do unfortunately.

My hip is improving a bit. I'm still waking up at night but it's not paining mostly. By morning it's a bit twingey but that's far better than it was. I think going back to the gym has made a difference and i sit on the heating pad at night as well.

Comments

[sparklielizard.livejournal.com]

I love the Queen! I love that we have a Royal Family. It's not like they make real decisions or anything - I think it's just a lovely old tradition that brings a lot of pleasure to a lot of people. And as much as people complain about it, enough people buy gossip magazines etc with Royal gossip in, so..

[tvor.livejournal.com]

You're one of the few friends in the U K of mine that do! and it brings a huge amount of tourism into the country as well. I have a friend that described England as a huge medieval theme park lol

[sparklielizard.livejournal.com]

Oh dear!! I wouldn't say we were quite at medieval theme park level, but I guess if you're a tourist you're going to see a lot more of that than most of us do day to day! The oldest thing I see most days are some of the grotty buildings in Woolwich - they're last century, but rather unloved ;-)

[tvor.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't agree either but that was his view. He was a bit on the cynical side anyway. But he did have a point since that is where a lot of the tourists head...castles, old houses, and lot of the touristy places put on the olde worlde look.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit of a Royalist-don't have a problem with the Royal Family at all. Especially if it brings tourists to the UK to help with the economy. I think William will make a great king!

[tvor.livejournal.com]

I read a book once a while back. It took place in the somewhat near future. QEII and Charles had both passed on, but Harry had got to be king, not William who had died young (I forget what happened). The monarch on the throne was Harry's daughter, Victoria. It had to do with a man breaking into the palace and into her bedroom. I forget the rest of it.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

it's interesting to hear your perspective - I'm hiding from the whole thing, personally. It's a little weird - good weird, but weird - to have all this patriotic *Britishness* rather than *Englishness* going on. I'm not used to it!

[tvor.livejournal.com]

I like the pomp and circumstance of it all but i would imagine if i lived in London i'd avoid it because of the crowds. I have always been patriotic as far as my own country is concerned and no matter what kind of shape the country is in, i don't understand hating it. But then i've been lucky in many things and it's all a matter of perspective, too.

[sammantha.livejournal.com]

what is the date of the new surgery? re the tall ships parade..i was gonna try to get that day off..obviously hoping you and I could find a place together to watch it...hmm...still might see about taking it off but it depends on who is on vacation that week.

[tvor.livejournal.com]

It's the day of the parade of sail.