December 26, 2003
HER ROYAL COOLNESS
The Queen doesn’t go in for any of that politically-correct images of peace nonsense:
The Queen's annual Christmas Day message to the Commonwealth served as an uplifting reminder of all that is best in our national life. It was a paean of praise to the virtues of duty and service in the Armed Forces and in the voluntary sector — as was highlighted by the innovative choice of backdrop in the shape of armoured fighting vehicles at Combermere barracks in Windsor.
God bless her. You can view or listen to the message here. In other royal news, Her Majesty could have used one of those armoured fighting vehicles yesterday:
The royal family's Christmas has started disastrously with one of Princess Anne's dogs fatally savaging one of the Queen's favourite corgis.
Dotty, one of the princess's two bull terriers, launched the ferocious attack within moments of arriving at Sandringham in Norfolk, east England.
UPDATE. Peter Fray in the SMH sneers up a storm.
Posted by Tim Blair at December 26, 2003 02:19 PMAnd after just having her dog killed too. God Bless the Queen.
Posted by: Easycure at December 26, 2003 at 02:30 PMMaybe a few messages in her politically incorrect backdrop.
A) Major show of support for the men and women of the military
B) Reinforcement of the concept that we are at (albeit unconventional)war.
C) Major slap in the face for the "peace no matter how many have to die for it" crowd.
Gutsy lady.
You know, looking at that picture, I can almost read her mind: "Wouldn't it be 'tragic' if Charles was accidentally incapacitated by a runaway tank before his succession?"
Posted by: Clem Snide at December 26, 2003 at 05:09 PMwhat a beautiful spirit.
sorry for the corny-ness, but hey, it's christmas. oh yeah, and god bless us, everyone. =)
Posted by: samkit at December 26, 2003 at 06:14 PMChicks with guns, chicks with tanks, it's all good. God bless the royal mum, I hope she lives to be 200.
Posted by: George L. at December 26, 2003 at 11:25 PMI suspect that only when she is gone will people realise what they have lost. Sure she might come across as a bit stiff but I find that far more appealing that the younger generation of royals.
Posted by: Rob at December 26, 2003 at 11:39 PMAnd here I was, thinking there's no way I could like her more.
Posted by: Emily at December 27, 2003 at 02:10 AMLet's make one thing clear. Her Majesty paid a tribute to the peacekeeping efforts of our armed forces as well as their warfighting duties. It was in no way political- so please don't assume she has jumped on your right-wing bandwagon.
Posted by: RH at December 27, 2003 at 05:16 AMLet's make one thing clear. Her Majesty paid a tribute to the peacekeeping efforts of our armed forces as well as their warfighting duties. It was in no way political- so please don't assume she has jumped on your right-wing bandwagon.
Posted by: RH at December 27, 2003 at 05:16 AMIt's not a wagon, it's a tank. Victory through superior firepower!
Posted by: David Gillies at December 27, 2003 at 05:21 AMSomething for American liberals to think about:
Maggie Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II both looked better in and around armored (sorry, armoured) fighting vehicles than Michael "Snoopy" Dukakis did.
It isn't the vehicles, folks. It's the people.
Posted by: Dean at December 27, 2003 at 06:12 AMShe always did have a martial flair. Lovely girl.
Posted by: Donnah at December 27, 2003 at 07:34 AM
"Let's make one thing clear. Her Majesty paid a tribute to the peacekeeping efforts of our armed forces as well as their warfighting duties. It was in no way political- so please don't assume she has jumped on your right-wing bandwagon."
The words she spoke were a fine tribute to the troops and needed no other gestures. Its utterly naive to think that delivering the speech from a military barracks would not be taken as tacit support for the job that troops are doing, as opposed to simple support for the troops themselves.
Posted by: Michael at December 27, 2003 at 10:13 AMMakes you glad to be ruled by a bunch of inbred halfwits
Posted by: Blair at December 27, 2003 at 12:57 PMMakes you glad to be ruled by a bunch of inbred halfwits
Posted by: Blair at December 27, 2003 at 12:57 PMBetcha felt pretty silly when you double-posted, didn't you? You inbred halfwit.
Posted by: David Gillies at December 27, 2003 at 01:41 PM'Unpopular Charles'? Another lie from Fray and the Herald. Prince Charles and the Royal Family are polling at their highest support levels in years, according to last month's poll in The Guardian.
Posted by: Byron Stander at December 27, 2003 at 07:48 PM