Trooping of the colours: Though not an immediate fan of the Royal family, I am glad we have one, the Queen is the solid backbone of this country, and her birthday celebrations are fabulously colourful. Out comes the coaches, the splendid red coated soldiers with their glittering swords, and most of all I enjoy the sleek black horses as they parade round. But best of all the two drum horses, belonging to the Queen and having the title of Major.
Do we love our animals too much? maybe but for a moment we take the 'jewels' amassed over centuries out of the cupboard and put them on display. Trump never got a look in on this over the top display, he never got the crowds the Queen draws and he will never get the love and respect shown to her....
Whenever I write I am always aware of the history that lies behind everything in this small country, the wars so bitterly fought for power. The poverty that hounded many people through the Victorian era, and the slow rise of equality, now of course, receding fast under the tide of capitalism.
We are watching the world shift, like the great continental masses that grind together mysteriously under the sea, Russia and China maybe becoming uneasy bedmates, or perhaps Europe will hinge itself on to Russia. It is a vast game of chess, who will win? America withdraws into itself, and all the machinations of Brexit will not convince me that America will be our saviour in the form of privatisation that happens there. When you construct a world for the rich, the poor have to suffer.
So I shall get back to horses, one of the drum horses was a milkman's horse in Edinburgh. The Queen saw it and it was bought for the prestigious role of drum horse.
The Blind Harper by Kate Rusby.
I agree with so much of what you say Thelma. Brought up in a very Left Wing household with a Dad who had been involved in the General Strike and who never in his whole life lost his whole hearted support for the Labour Party, I look at what is happening at present and wonder what he would have thought of it all. And seeing the Queen at the Banquet with Trump her dignity was so obvious - the way she treated him, chatted away, smiled, made him feel important (which is what he wants of course) - we are indeed lucky to have her.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the story about the milkman's horse but all I can say is that it is one lucky horse.
My first husband came from a long line of military bandsmen and several of his nephews have played at Trooping the Colour over the years.
It is quite a spectacle, think the horses must be very well behaved to have people playing instruments on them. Though I think your father would be angry at the Labour party at the moment.
ReplyDeleteGreat song too.
ReplyDeleteI like Kate Rusby and her folk songs.
DeleteI hate that our leadership has torn the fabric of trust we used to have with Europe and others. Maybe I was naive, knowing that we are most mercurial in our diplomacy. I do think the British royalty has evolved away from the overlord culture to a more romantic and gentlemanly (ladylike) culture that we all admire.
ReplyDeleteSometimes Tabor it is difficult to talk about America because we have had such a good relationship with it. Trump has had a lot of flack from the media, not many people turned out to see him either when in England, and when he fibs, he tells porkies (as we call them). He is not alone of course, our politicians do the same but he is so transparent.
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