Turning on the TV this morning was an invitation to Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebration. For the networks, it is hours of free programming. Lots of men in ersatz bearskin shakos and regiments of horsemen parading before Buckingham palace is fun and a spectacle. The sheer longevity of the Queen's reign is notable in today's ephemeral world.
The popularity of the monarchy in England has been up and down over the centuries. However, for every Queen Victoria or Elizabeth there is an Edward or a Harry who chased American commoners to the dismay of the populace. What the enduring charm of the monarchy means is that the average person in the english speaking world likes the idea of a supposedly powerful leader swathed in the insular pomp of royalty. Witness the use of the word Camelot to describe the Kennedy presidency. As long as it costs the average person little actual money to support a monarchy she will do so. Long live the Queen!!
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