The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
Nov 16, 2010 at 11:19am
We just recorded the Ricochet podcast, and because we're pundits, we did our best to make something out of the announcement of Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton. It is, after all, the news of the day. We tried, folks, but I think you'll see that none of us had strong feelings about it.
Should conservatives think anything at all about this event? Is there an angle we're missing? I guess I'm opposed to spending taxpayer money on it. But I don't feel all that strongly about it, really.
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Jul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
I stopped paying attention to "royalty" at 1783.
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Surely the money spent on the British monarchy is more than made up for by the tourism they bring. Can't very well change the guard in front of an empty building. For this reason I advocate Hapsburg Restoration. The colour and spectacle attracts the punters. Besides, they seem like a fairly good example. Long courtship and all, TV looks. This isn't the one who dresses as a Nazi and joy-rides military helicopters is it?
Obama should not attend. Tone down the jet-setting image a bit, and his last visit was a disaster. Biden would love it, though. Getting fitted out with a morning coat alone would give him a wide grin, and he'd be far more congenial company for the guests.
Jul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Yawn...
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Is it my imagination, or does the podcast get recorded a day earlier every week? I remember when they were on Fridays, then Thursdays, last week Wednesday, now today! We are going to work our way up to an extra bonus podcast any time now.
Nov '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Some conservatives-- and I include myself among them-- are Tories. And true Tories derive a fair measure of comfort from time-honored institutions such as the British monarchy. Though, I confess, the current House of Windsor has not done much to enhance this comfort.
I adored the late Queen Mum. There are many things that I like about her daughter. I think that the Prince of Wales leaves much to be desired. And Prince William is a bit of an enigma.
It may well be that a good marriage can shape Prince William into somebody who will have a beneficial impact on the English-speaking world.
I suppose that Prince Charles could afford to foot the bill for wedding, rather than directly sticking the tax-payers for it. But I think this would be, at most, a gesture, since his wealth derives both directly and indirectly from his subjects.
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
See, Duane, they're trying to make it so Rob inflates the number of weeks we've been around at the start of each podcast. Like that time we had one midweek and one weekend.
Oct '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
I posted something about this news on the member feed, so I guess you and I, Claire, are thinking on the same wavelength. I don't think there's much to think about or say regarding this particular couple but about the broader institution of the monarchy. I guess I have a different perspective on it than some of the others because I think for the British the monarchy is a unique part of their identity. Not to overthink it but I think it relates to us when we think about culture and tradition, which conservatives appreciate and want to cultivate.
I just find it fascinating how this paradox (seemingly) of a constitutional monarchy exists. On the one hand you have a democratic gov't and on the other this very old aristocratic institution.
I was wondering what remains of the French aristocracy. I've heard of some people who still have aristocratic titles but they haven't had a monarchy for ages. What do the French people think about it?
Aug '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Jul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
As an American, I'm with Jimmy: since 1776, I don't give a rip about the British monarchy. Or, in my family's case, we haven't cared about any monarchy since my great-grandfather left the service of his Imperial Majesty, Franz Josef II of Austria-Hungary.
On the other hand, I lived in Britain for four years, and I came to prefer the monarchy to the development of the Imperial Prime Minister under Blair, in which whatever the Prime Minister wants, the Prime Minister gets, since with the abolition of most hereditary peers the House of Lords is as constitutionally important as the Bognor Regis Women's Institute. Even Lloyd George might think this was going too far.
It makes me yearn for a King William V who's bold enough to provoke a juicy constitutional crisis by firing a Prime Minister, or jaywalking, or something, anything. A little more tendency towards monarchy might make Britain slightly more republican. It was Madison's genius to translate the balance of powers found in the British system into an American and republican context. Thus today we are more true to British tradition than are the British. Odd, that.
Aug '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
[Double-Post Deleted]
Edited on Nov 16, 2010 at 12:11pmJul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
[to cover Myself before Claire takes a peek in Here]
But I have recently taken full interest since Queen Claire came to power.
Oct '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
I believe we fought and won a war with these people 200 years ago that gave us Americans the option of viewing European royalty with awe, homage, and admiration or, alternatively, seeing them as superannuated, chinless parasites. To each his own.
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
The whole thing makes me a little sad for them. Isn't she wearing Diana's engagement ring? Bring on the suffocating media making comparisons between Kate and Di and the commentary and criticism about everything she says, does, and wears for the rest of her life. I worry if their marriage isn't doomed before it has even begun. I hope Kate realizes the weight she has agree to place on her tiny frame. And I hope those two have a strong and trustworthy social support to lean on. They'll need it.
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Very interesting post Claire. I believe there would be a deep divide between those of us who are classically conservative (in the Burkean sense) and those of us who are classically liberal (in the Lockean sense). I, for one, think the monarchy celebrates the vestiges of tyranny. It is a harmless vestige, but a vestige nonetheless. Public officials should be public servants, not social superiors.
Oct '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
To me, it's just like any other celebrity getting hitched, except maybe a bit more prominent.
Even living up here in Canuck-land for 12 years now, I still don't really have any attachment to the monarchy here. It was cool to see the Queen do the ceremonial face-off at an exhibition hockey game, but again that was more of a "ooooo, I saw somebody famous and 'important'!" feeling than anything else.
Jul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
I think American conservatives regard the British Royalty the same way British conservatives regard, say, the US Senate. An interesting convention that informs their culture, but is alien and largely irrelevant to ours.
Aug '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Kennedy Smith: Surely the money spent on the British monarchy is more than made up for by the tourism they bring. Can't very well change the guard in front of an empty building. For this reason I advocate Hapsburg Restoration. The colour and spectacle attracts the punters. Besides, they seem like a fairly good example. Long courtship and all, TV looks. This isn't the one who dresses as a Nazi and joy-rides military helicopters is it?
Obama should not attend. Tone down the jet-setting image a bit, and his last visit was a disaster. Biden would love it, though. Getting fitted out with a morning coat alone would give him a wide grin, and he'd be far more congenial company for the guests. · Nov 16 at 11:35am
Nailed it, Kennedy! ;-D
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
Darn that Daylight Savings Time.
Jul '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
By next summer the cuts the British government has just imposed are going to be felt, and I have to wonder if a lavish wedding might not result in the kind of anti-monarchy sentiment the country faced in the 1970's when the Queen had to ask for more money while the country faced a three-day work-week. But Will and Kate seem to be pretty perceptive and may aim to avoid that very scenario.
I also have trouble getting especially enthusiastic about this, though of course I'd be very open to attending as Prince Harry's date.
May '10
Re: The Royal Wedding and Conservatives
I expect that the "conservative angle" is, "Glad they're finally getting married". Let's hope it's a long and happy union.
As for the conservative feelings toward monarchies... The British Royals are long past being a serious threat to anyone's liberty, so I guess it's ok to be supportive. I'm all for monarchies as cultural figureheads. Anything more than that...not so much.