The bubbling, republican ferment has been snuffed; hopes dashed after 30 years of problems in the House of Windsor.
And in Australia; a repeat of the failed Referendum re-turning Australia into a Republic in 1999 has been put far back. It is all because of two very fine young Brits: William of Royal blood, the Grandson of the Queen and Catherine Middleton a mature young woman, a ‘commoner’ as she has been called; from a well-to-do business-class family, with fine parents.
It was reported on the PBS NewsHour by a British Correspondent (SBS 30/4) his daughter informed him that Catherine Middleton attended that same school as herself – an excelling student and athlete who didn’t ‘drink wine and smoke cigarettes on the roof’ of the school in West London as did many of her fellow students. When he was asked about the Monarchy he replied: If it isn’t broken, why fix it? That was the catch cry in Australia in 1999, 12 years ago.
It was a wedding that came off without a hitch, the sentiments in Westminster Cathedral were witnessed by two billion viewers – allegedly the biggest audience in history. The prayer written by the couple and read by the Bishop – exemplified their Christian faith. His sermon was the best the Christian faithful would have wanted.
There are the critics but even The Guardian Newspaper, a republican tabloid, had a party on the day! The left can hardly criticise the 30 m cost of the event when twice that has been used by British aircraft bombers in Libya. And at a time when the British government has reduced spending with a five-year austerity program, criticism is understandable – notwithstanding the event made a lot of people happy. It held a candle for the next generation.
The attitude of Catherine and William is different to those of previous young royals; lacking in piety and discipline. It is conceivable this young couple; now dubbed by the Queen as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will quite likely take the place of the present Queen (who is still the Head of Australia.) In the meantime the happy couple need to be left alone in their marriage, to live their lives – in their case it appears to be a distinct possibility that the next King of England will be crowned King William.
The bubbling protest by the left and those who prefer a Republic in Australia (including the present Labor Prime Minister and a number of members of the Conservative Coalition) has been quashed. We can already se the leftists and other protagonists in the media cringing, even avoiding the snide comment – ill advised in the present climate.
Warren James
