by Anura Guruge
on June 1, 2022
YouTube videos.
This is MEGA-COOL. Wow. I am impressed. Way to go. I am so PROUD. This is great. This is amazing.
Shows how GREAT we are. GREAT BRITAIN. That is what we are. GREAT BRITAIN.
Long Live Our Glorious Queen.
by Anura Guruge
on May 17, 2022
The ENTIRE 2 hour 24 minute show, as livedstreamed by ‘BritBox‘ on Sunday, May 15, 2022, using the ITV coverage is NOW available on BritBox to view at your leisure & convenience. So, you don’t have to watch it all in one go. Plus, you can replay your favorite bits as often as you want.
I was 99% sure that this would be what happened, i.e., that the livestream will be made available as a ‘watch anytime’ show. Well, it did happen today.
[I checked yesterday. It wasn’t there, & there was not even a mention that it might be coming. I e-mailed BritBox. I got a reply this morning saying it was UP. It was. SMILE.]
Long Live Our Glorious Queen.
by Anura Guruge
on May 15, 2022
I didn’t, ALAS, have the time to watch the ‘BritBox‘ livestream of this momentous, once-in-a-lifetime event. I am hoping that BritBox, as it should, will include it in its ‘library’ for future viewing. I will let you know the status of this.
When I logged on, earlier this evening, the livestream was still ongoing. I captured two screenshots — that I shared above.
I know that many of you got to watch it live. Good for you. I am jealous. I was amazed at the HD quality. WOW. They did the Queen proud — as we should, as we should.
Long Live Our Glorious Queen.
by Anura Guruge
on May 11, 2022
This is a precursor to the MAIN ‘Platinum Jubilee‘ events which are scheduled to take place in mid-June. I will do separate posts on some of these.
Us in the U.S. are going to have trouble seeing most of these — live. Yes, YouTube will help — albeit, not in real-time.
That is why I found this BritBox offering interesting & encouraging. It will be livestreamed. It should be worth watching. I am sure it will also be available afterward on BritBox.
I just wanted to make sure you knew about it. Enjoy.
Long Live Our Glorious Queen.
by Anura Guruge
on December 25, 2021
I am an avowed SUCKER for the Queen’s Christmas speech! I grew up listening to it, & as such it is very much an ingrained Christmas tradition very dear to I.
Today’s speech, by definition, WAS GREAT. They always are. They are always GREAT. So, let’s get that out of the way.
Wow. She is 95. AMAZING. Just astounding. She is so professional, so slick.
Of course it is a relief to all of us that she was able to do this year’s speech. Bravo. I am happy.
This, from my reckoning was her 69th Christmas address (& please, please NO jokes as to the number).
So, this is another of her records that are unlikely to be beaten — anytime soon.
So, all of that out of the way, I really, really HOPE that this will NOT be her last speech!
Yes, of course, that goes without saying. We want her to live forever. Alas.
Well, I have another reason. In MY OPINION, this was NOT one of her greatest speeches!
Yes, it is her prerogative.
Yes, she lost her dear husband … & she is getting old.
But, this was NOT her!
This was WAY TOO ‘political’ — relative to the Royal family. Close to propaganda. Oh, Dear!
I just don’t want this to be her last Christmas speech.
Yes, we have 68 others, BUT if this is her last, people will keep on referring back to it. I don’t think that would be a true reflection of her 70 years of speeches.
So, my wish is very simple.
I want to Queen to be around for Christmas 2022. Do YOU have a problem with that? SMILE.
by Anura Guruge
on November 14, 2021
MY Queen from my post to mark the 2020 Remembrance Sunday.
Of course, her sad absence, is NOT an issue. We all understand. We know she planned to be there, she hoped to be there. Provided she was in the U.K. she has NOT missed a Remembrance Sunday other than the two times she was pregnant with her last two kids. She has been involved with this glorious & sacred British tradition for 69-years!
I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be 95. She is 27 years older than I, & folks call me old. We all, of course, wish her the best.
My only concern is whether she will be there next year. She will be 96. Does NOT matter if she can’t attend the ceremony. Provided that she is still around.
As is my wont let me please share some videos of our (i.e., London ‘Cenotaph’) Remembrance Sunday ceremony.
For those not familiar with our protocol let me explain why ‘Princess Anne‘ is NOT in one of the balconies. That is because she is at ground level, ready to lay a wreath. All of the senior members of the Royal Family lay wreaths, if they are not incapacitated. The Queen used to lay a wreath. Princess Anne walks in the second behind Prince Charles.
The Queen laying a wreath, on Remembrance Day 1953. The year she was coronated (i.e., received the crown) — though she became Queen a year earlier.
Don’t forget that I have a dedicated ‘Red Poppy‘ page on my old blog.
by Anura Guruge
on October 31, 2021
It is no secret that I am not the greatest fan of ‘Charles‘ nor ‘Camilla‘. From being (true to the times) an anti-monarchist in my youth, I grew to truly respect & like MY QUEEN. It suffices to say that none of her descendants have yet to live up to her standards & stature — but, in a way, that is to expected. ‘Andrew’, obviously, has got himself into quite the mess & I feel sorry for the ‘poor’, misled & misguided (& obviously illegitimate) ‘Harry’.
Of the Queen’s four kids one has to say that Anne, despite her shenanigans re. ‘men’, has been the most steadfast, regal & honorable when it came to serving her country (& in that I include her unique involvement in the Olympics). Yes, there is ‘Edward’ but he never was as much in the public eye as Anne.
Anne is of royal blood (to the best as we can say in these matter).
She was 2nd in line to the throne.
She has served us well.
Camilla is not of royal blood. She has not done 1/4,000 of the duties performed by Anne.
We know that Anne is smart, capable, shrewd & experienced in matters of State. Not so, Camilla.
So, it doesn’t matter than Anne is not in the direct line of succession. Neither is Camilla. She will just be the spouse.
I am sure the Queen, if the Prime Minister is willing, can ask for Anne to be a Counsellor Of State replacing Andrew or Harry — both of who are no longer qualified to serve in this role. In the case of Harry, it is because he is no longer a resident of the U.K.
by Anura Guruge
on June 14, 2021
I am a huge fan of Joe. But, I do think he says things without thinking them through.
I know that he thought that this was would be seen as a huge compliment. Well … Joe is no spring chicken. He is 78. That is the problem. If he was 50 he could have, maybe, got away with it.
There is a 16-year age gap between them. That is kind of ‘messy‘. The Queen was unlikely to be a teen-mother! She was 22 when she had Charles.
I don’t think anybody close to the Queen mentions or even alludes to her age.
Joe … that was quite DUMB. You should kick yourself.
After I posted the above, I came across this in the U.K. ‘Daily Mail’. It did cross Joe’s mind that there was a possibility that his remark could be seen as insulting. He says it himself. Oh, Joe.
