No, no, no, not the Latin Mass but the rather wonderfully British ceremony of Trooping the Colour, the celebration of the official birthday of HM Queen Elizabeth II.
How we Brits (and quite a few Americans, Canadians, Australians and other nationalities) love it.
The spectacle, the colour, music and atmosphere all help to conjure up modest feelings of pride in our nation and its past.
And it all has its base in linking back to events in our history and showing that we, as a nation, are more than capable of facing events in the future.
The uniforms of the Guardsmen are resplendent and the leather and brass accoutrements sparkle in the summer sun, and they are all made out of decent materials, bear skins, leather, cloth...not a scrap of polyester anywhere.
Do I feel an analogy coming on?
I must away to drink a toast to Her Majesty and to tradition......as soon as the watery sun is over the watery yardarm.
How we Brits (and quite a few Americans, Canadians, Australians and other nationalities) love it.
The spectacle, the colour, music and atmosphere all help to conjure up modest feelings of pride in our nation and its past.
And it all has its base in linking back to events in our history and showing that we, as a nation, are more than capable of facing events in the future.
The uniforms of the Guardsmen are resplendent and the leather and brass accoutrements sparkle in the summer sun, and they are all made out of decent materials, bear skins, leather, cloth...not a scrap of polyester anywhere.
Do I feel an analogy coming on?
I must away to drink a toast to Her Majesty and to tradition......as soon as the watery sun is over the watery yardarm.
It's not the same since she stopped riding the horse.
ReplyDeleteWorks for me!
ReplyDeleteHi, Richard!
ReplyDeleteI love royal ceremonies! Really, it's so nice that things with such rich tradition are still happening in the world today. In other words, I'm glad we haven't totally forgotten what beauty, tradition, and continuity means in the world.
I think I'll join you in that toast ;-) God Save the Queen, the United Kingdom, and the Commonwealth!
By the way, you do live in Wales, correct? If so, what part?
Nos da,
Pearl of Tyburn
Jane...agreed. Thank you Edmund. Pearl - I live in Pembrokeshire (far west) but am English with a dash of Irish in me.
ReplyDelete