Funny. I end up writing about the monarchy the week that our country celebrates its severance from it. But the Windsors seem to be everywhere. William and his girlfriend just broke up (sadly for the countryside shops that had already made souvenir plates featuring their two faces), Harry's request to fight with the military was denied, Charles and Camilla visited the farmer's market in San Fransisco. Even the reclusive Queen has been out and about it public eye, giving Helen Mirren even more good material.
One sunny afternoon in Paris, I heard her give a speech. I could barely see her past all of the heads and stratus clouds of cigarette smoke, but even hearing her voice, I felt like I was listening to someone important and special. Anointed? I think it hilarious that kings throughout history have touted and depended upon a pure bloodline of ascension, yet many of the kings were, I am sorry to say the word, bastards. And throughout history, their divine and absolute rule has diminished, to the point where people wonder at them, like Travis the other day asking, "The British Monarchy. I mean, what do they actually DO now?"
Maybe it's the history nerd in me, but the English fascinate. Aside from their smashing accents, England has given us much of our motley culture: scones, tennis, sonnets, English, prams, protestantism, riding boots, to name a few. Millions of women's conception of fashion was changed forever with, among countless other images, the sight of a pregnant Di wearing a bikini. England has always been the quintessential country. And, like most things with America, we took the idea and ran. Across the Atlantic. We are, after all, England's most successfully deviant colony. Happy Independence Day, mates.
Can't wait to see you!
3 comments:
I have a soft spot for the English also. We owe much to our Mother Country. It is nice to remember our roots. Don't forget "the Beatles". See you real soon.
I've never been to England, but it seems to me (like rock'n roll music) only the good stuff makes it over for mass consumption. Bands like the Beatles, Oasis, and Coldplay (i refuse to include the rolling stones in this list, but that is my humble yet adimant opinion); Television like Mr. Bean, The Office, and Wallace and Grommit; and a list of Literature far too numerous to even get started.
However, this filter called the Atlantic Ocean has to be filled with "rubbish" that we ought to be grateful we haven't added to our own self produced trash heap. The use of words like "Bullocks" or "Guv-na", desserts called "spotted dick", and rap groups with thick cockneye accents. We've got enough gunk clogging our airwaves to have to deal with our parent nations refuse as well. Yet another thing to celebrate this week i guess.
Although I grew up exposed to impressive aspects of the British (colonialism, law, but mostly rock'n roll music), I have grown to be rather antipathetic to their legacy. Their ideas have spread with power and speed equaled only by the Greeks and the Romans, and at a similar price.
It was always a side effect of forced imperialism... on Native Americans, Indians, Ghanians, New Zealanders, and so many more peoples. The British ideas and culture were spread at the expense of the natives' ideas and culture.
It's true that all successful empires used force... maybe I'm just more sensitive to the legacy of Brits because I am now connected to it, or maybe because despite the fact that I love English literature -- I hate the English language.
Happy Fourth of July, a celebration of something different to us all... for me -- the fact that since 1776, we have changed "colour" to the more phonetic "color".
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