Plog Number 65
Let’s Talk About the Queen
Hello Ploggers, Top of the Morning to you all, (in an English Brogue), corniness intended. I am watching the news coverage of the loss of Queen Elizabeth, as many people are worldwide. I am fascinated when they show Buckingham Palace and the Queen Victoria Monument which sits in front of it. I visited London in 2001 and I remember being at that beautiful gold gilded statue and watching the changing of the 💂🏻 guards. The Pomp and circumstance was very memorable. It struck me at how open it was and anyone could just walk right up to the monument to take pictures, hang out or whatever. There were as many native Englanders as there were tourists. The Brits really love their Monarchs. There was a way to tell if the Queen 👸🏿 was in attendance at Buckingham and I think I remember that she was there the day I visited. That is my closest brush with royalty. I was alone on this trip, so I could go where I pleased. I had also gone to see my dear friend Leah and her sweet husband Ralph in York. So I was able to see some of the Northern part of the country too. I will never forget that trip. “Mind the Gap”.
As an American, I feel removed from the whole British thing. I am no Anglophile by any means. We certainly have enough of our own political problems and intrigue. But as we have all seen, there are lots of feelings that different people have about Queen Elizabeth. The Irish are celebrating, The Barbadians have separated from England and removed her image from their money. The Eastern Indian people were colonialized and seem to have mixed feelings about her. And last but not least Indigenous and people of color have strong feelings about past wrongs which include enslavement, blatant racism, discrimination and colonialism. Unlike the Catholic Church, the Monarch never apologized for the misery caused by their part in the slave trade and middle passage. The Windsor’s profited from and displayed jeweled crowns with gems taken from Africa. The information that came out from Meaghan and Harry caused further rifts and accusations of present day racism. I have seen numerous comical social media posts where people show their feelings about the Queen. One shows her knocking and trying to get into heaven. Diana answers the door. Satirical humor abounds.
For me, I feel like no one single person should be hailed as a God. No one! We are all flesh and blood and made by God. I also don’t like that she lived such a long luxurious life off of the backs of the people of England who paid for her lavish existence. Also I was a fan of Diana and I don’t think her boys would be as popular as they are if it weren’t for her. You can see Diana in William and Harry and its heartbreaking knowing they lost her so young. I feel no charm, warmth or interest in King Charles. I marvel at how Camilla went from being the Side Piece to the Queen. I would have loved to see Diana in that position. Queen Elizabeth herself dubbed Camilla the Queen Consort. The title sounds a little shady to me. Actually a Queen Consort is defined as the wife of a reigning king. She shares the monarchial title but no political or military power.
So, things will go forward with the British Monarchy and I will watch it intermittently. It’s hard to avoid it. She did live long and now God rest the queen. RECLAIM
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