The Queen is met by Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands as she arrives at Rotterdam airport, 5 February 2007. Her Majesty visited the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the English Church in Amsterdam during her one-day visit. Isn't it nice? This lovely smile at HM's face:)
Cattle die, and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one's self;
But a noble name will never die,
If good renown one gets.
I know, I'm so romantic, a down to earth romantic soul. It can be boring. But just look at them. So young, full of happiness. And it wasn't an arranged marriage. A true love?
You are a member of the British royal family. We are never tired, and we all love hospitals.
Queen Mary
"I cannot lead you into battle, I do not give you laws or administer justice but I can do something else, I can give you my heart and my devotion to these old islands and to all the peoples of our brotherhood of nations."
From Her Majesty's first televised Christmas address, 1957
I have lived long enough to know that things never remain quite the same for very long. One of the things that has not changed all that much for me is the celebration of Christmas. It remains a time when I try to put aside the anxieties of the moment and remember that Christ was born to bring peace and tolerance to a troubled world.
The birth of Jesus naturally turns our thoughts to all new-born children and what the future holds for them. The birth of a baby brings great happiness - but then the business of growing up begins. It is a process that starts within the protection and care of parents and other members of the family - including the older generation. As with any team, there is strength in combination: what grandparent has not wished for the best possible upbringing for their grandchildren or felt an enormous sense of pride at their achievements?
But the pressures of modern life sometimes seem to be weakening the links which have traditionally kept us together as families and communities. As children grow up and develop their own sense of confidence and independence in the ever-changing technological environment, there is always the danger of a real divide opening up between young and old, based on unfamiliarity, ignorance or misunderstanding.
It is worth bearing in mind that all of our faith communities encourage the bridging of that divide. The wisdom and experience of the great religions point to the need to nurture and guide the young, and to encourage respect for the elderly. Christ himself told his disciples to let the children come to him, and Saint Paul reminded parents to be gentle with their children, and children to appreciate their parents. The scriptures and traditions of the other faiths enshrine the same fundamental guidance. It is very easy to concentrate on the differences between the religious faiths and to forget what they have in common - people of different faiths are bound together by the need to help the younger generation to become considerate and active citizens.
And there is another cause for hope that we can do better in the future at bridging the generation gap. As older people remain more active for longer, the opportunities to look for new ways to bring young and old together are multiplying.
As I look back on these past twelve months, marked in particular for me by the very generous response to my eightieth birthday, I especially value the opportunities I have had to meet young people. I am impressed by their energy and vitality, and by their ambition to learn and to travel.
It makes me wonder what contribution older people can make to help them realise their ambitions. I am reminded of a lady of about my age who was asked by an earnest, little grand-daughter the other day "Granny, can you remember the Stone Age?" Whilst that may be going a bit far, the older generation are able to give a sense of context as well as the wisdom of experience which can be invaluable. Such advice and comfort are probably needed more often than younger people admit or older people recognise. I hope that this is something that all of us, young or old, can reflect on at this special time of year.
For Christians, Christmas marks the birth of our Saviour, but it is also a wonderful occasion to bring the generations together in a shared festival of peace, tolerance and goodwill.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas together.
Queens do have feelings. But they have pride too. Sometimes too much of pride. And when the pride reaches the ceiling when it comes to its level, Huston, we have a problem...
The basis for the relations with other people are feelings. Of hatred, love, compassion, charm, desire and so on. But the real Queen has to be above it. Instead she will be hurt and the pain can be seen on our face and in our moves. And this ,,little” shadow on our appearance is absolutely undesireable.
But if you act without them and are influenced strongly by her majesty the pride- we are at the start line of the matter. In any case- someone’s heart will be broken or at least scratched.
How not to be hurt and behave with dignity? How to raise a thick skin like elephants have reciprocally with a romantic soul and sensibility?
It’s impossible. Believe me. I checked it.
The question isn't that simple as You may think at first. You can be a Queen only because of the title but You can also be a real Queen- dedicated to her duties, proud of her Nation, with faultless manners and style. Here are some rules to help You achieve this status:
1. Family background- aristocratic or even royal. You learn Your do's and don't from the infant(if You are a royal infant or an earl it's even better). You feel the athmosphere. Touch the very core of being the elite. If You are born in the ,,ordinary" family- don't worry. Maybe You will meet a Crown Prince someday? But what You have to remember- love, passion and open mind is crucial here.
2. Education- higher is a must. Political, sociological, psychological, law, diplomacy are the most usefull but if You are a dedicated botanist or keen car mechanic choose these ways of education. What I am getting at is that a Queen has to represent something by her level of knowledg at least in one field because she has to be an authority for her Nation. And she can have a topic to discuss with her guests.
3. Manners- absolutely basis for a real Queen. Behaving, behaving and behaving. You have to show who You are from Your every move and gesture. During the official meals, visits, talks, speeches and also in Your ,,private'' life, behind the scenes when almost anyone can see you.
4. Feeling- that You are a Queen of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith etc. and not the undertaker or a film star. If not- abdicate. You have to believe in the fact that You are predestinied to this role. And so be it.
We think that the most monarchic drink of all is the tea. So, here is the recipe.
Warm the teapot before adding one teaspoon for each person and "one for the teapot". Bring fresh water to the boil and pour in immediately. Allow the tea to brew for five minutes, then stir and serve. Tea may be served with milk, honey or slices of lemon and sugar added according to taste. Chose Indian(Assam, Madras), Chinese or Japanese.
Drinking tea is not just 'driking tea". It is a ritual, magical, magnificent few moments during the day when You can sit in a peace, think about the previous part of the day or plan the rest of it. Calm and intelligent talk can be added to the ritual to make it meaningfull and deep.
Drink slowly. You probably won't have an eulogy like this: ,,RIP Killed by the Earl Grey"
Select Your company to the teatime. They have to be clean, with IQ above the average, smart, with a sence of humor, preferably with an aristocratic title.
And as Sting sings:
I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
I like my toast done on one side
And you can hear it in my accent when i talk...
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (gen.)
In the beggining of my kingdom WE(as for we Our Royal Highness) created a webblog. This is a substitude for a real kingdom which will be created in the nearest future:) probably We will invade the British Isles. Or Irish, an easier part of land to rule.
But now seriously. if someone knows me, he or she knows about my platonic love to monarchism. And my desire to be a Queen some day:) So instead of marrying a Prince (must be in a straight line to the throne) or assasinating the Queen of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and other territories I can write about monarchism, being a monarch and so on. I can write here whatever my kind of sick imagination will tell me...and I like it:))
Oh, and LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
