The Nature Of The Monarchy

[poliphilo]

The exclusion of Blair and Brown (former prime ministers and- Ed Miliband aside-  the most senior representatives of the British Left ) from the guest list for the royal wedding makes explicit what has always been implicit- that the monarchy is a conservative institution- and gives the lie to those who see it as a focus of unity in the nation.

Comments

[ron-broxted.livejournal.com]

For the 1st time in our cyber-relationship I am aghast. Blair as left wing? Did you hibernate 1997 onwards or was it, a la Dr Who, another dimension?

[ingenious76.livejournal.com]

As I recall, the Blairs weren't invited to the wedding of the Earl and Countess of Wessex either. I suspect her Maj was probably worried that Blair would try and stand up in Westminster Abbey and deliver a money spinning lecture.

[airstrip.livejournal.com]

One of my roommates watched the whole wedding. I found the whole thing rather ghastly. I especially dislike seeing members of the British royal family because they all seem to have that smoothed-over look which is the tell-tale sign of a shallow gene pool.

[solar-diablo.livejournal.com]

I'd read somewhere that President Obama didn't receive an invitation to William and Kate's wedding because it was not a state affair. President Reagan was invited to Charles and Diana's wedding for that reason, but couldn't attend because he was recovering from an assassination attempt.

Unfortunately, the source didn't explain what made one a state affair and the other not. But would that explain why Blair and Brown were not invited?

[michaleen.livejournal.com]

As others have noted, our president and vice president were likewise snubbed. Not too terribly surprising, I think, given the political dynamics of the world, today.

Over here, the wealthy elite are waging open economic warfare on the poor and middle class. Aside from what little cover the faux-populist Tea Party provides, they are not even trying to hide it. The Tories, at the behest of their masters, are slavering to do the same over there. It does not take much effort to imagine which side the Windsors support.