It has been more than a century since the last Diamond Jubilee celebrating the reign of Queen Victoria. We Canadians will be honoured with another Diamond Jubilee next year to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Victoria’s great-great granddaughter, Elizabeth II. If the House of Hanover has proved anything, it is that boring works.
As proof of this boredom, are you going to gather the family around the radio or in front of the tely next Sunday, to listen raptly to a message to the Empire from our dear Monarch? No you are probably not. If it were not for the hard-working news media people trying desperately to find something quotable from the bilge, nobody would notice the broadcast.
During the Second World War, mother considered this broadcast an essential part of Christmas in Canada and she insisted us children listen quietly while George VI stuttered his way through another weary effort. Maybe we were not supposed to notice when we heard his Queen Consort Elizabeth quietly correct him on something. It was not as though mother was raised to the custom, spending her childhood in Chicago.
Luckily, winning the Second World War was not dependent on the oratorical skills of the British Royals. Having heard earlier oratory from Adolph Hitler, even if you did not speak German, they were a chilling experience.
Regrettably Elizabeth II and her hubby are too old and frail to drop by and see all the peoples of their dominions during the Jubilee year. We Canadians are getting second best with a visit by heir apparent Charles and his lovely wife Camilla.
If they should decide to visit Babel while they are here in Ontario, no doubt we shall do them up proud. We could have all kinds of fetes to enliven the occasion. For example, Babel could have a crockery painting contest. This is in recognition of the very large market for souvenir crockery at these events, mainly hand-painted cups and saucers.
What we could do is have this crockery made with just paint-by-numbers designs and sell them to the loyal citizenry of Babel who could then have the fun of hand painting them. There can be a contest as to who could add the most personality to the Royals depicted on the cup and saucer. Charles and Camilla can be the judges. It will be even more fun if the best hand-painted efforts are served full of tea, which the Royal couple could drink while doing their judging.
Will that be with milk or lemon?
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Copyright 2011 © Peter Lowry
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