British Monarchist League
 
By:
 Scott Pepé
Youth Co-ordinator, The British Monarchist League


The Royal Family has had a fantastic year so far, Youth Co-Ordinator Scott Pepe looks at the newspapers which would have run a rather different course with a clapped out politician as head of state.

PRESIDENTS GRANDSON’S WEDDING MARRED BY NUMBER OF SETBACKS
It was a day that was supposed to unite the nation, but the wedding of the president’s grandson yesterday turned out to be a huge disappointment in the months before his grandfather’s re-election campaign. Only a few hundred members of the general public turned out to see the newlywed couple, and the tourist board are reporting a disappointing level of visitors over the bank holiday weekend which looks set to leave the net effect on the British economy in the red. The President was heckled as he entered the abbey by protestors angry at his support for the government’s domestic policy. This left many people wondering why state occasions are not separate from party politics. The congregation consisted of party allies and civil servants as well as the editors of those newspapers who look set to support the President in his re-election campaign next may. The ceremony was broadcast on national television but did not draw the worldwide crowd anticipated. A spokesperson from one Media Company said ‘This wedding certainly has not generated much international attention and has not elevated Britain on the national stage’. He went on to say that ‘People from all parts of the world admire Britain’s sense of tradition and heritage but evidently were not interested in the marriage of a politician’s grandson ’. Following the marriage there was a brief delay while photographers from a glossy magazine clambered to take pictures of the couple and the guests. It has been rumoured that the magazine has agreed to donate £500000 to the President’s re-election campaign but given the circumstances of a state event the decision to allow the intrusion has been criticised.

LUKEWARM RECEPTION FOR UK PRESIDENT
As the President of the UK took off from Cork airport on Friday he received mixed reviews for his performance. The tour got off to a shaky start when some Irish leaders complained at the cost of the tour, declaring that ‘Ireland could not afford the visit at this time’. It just goes to show that whatever office the head of state occupies it still costs money to send them places- something republican movements throughout the world should remember. The Presidents speeches, particularly at Croke Park although full of rhetoric were criticised as weak and meaningless. ‘An apology from someone who embodied the history and traditions of Britain would be far more poignant’, one spectator said.  A Stables in Ireland were left disappointed as the President changed his plans at the last minute in order to discuss economic policy with the Irish government. Downing Street is said to be ‘concerned’ at the increased political meddling from the ceremonial head of state, though it would seem the President is far less at home when it comes to conducting ceremony. The President concluded his visit with a trip to the Guinness factory. With his election campaign coming up, the President was keen to look like one of the people and happily slurped down the Guinness offered to him. The reaction to this was varied. One person remarked ‘Wow he drinks Guinness. He is just like me! A true breath of fresh air and will clearly change the world because he is clearly a man of the people’. Others were less convinced and questioned whether this was the most dignified way to act a state visit.  With the President currently so unpopular at home it is difficult to know whether this trip will show a Britain unified in wanting improved Anglo-Irish relations.  Whilst the visit of the President was certainly a start, he continues to face criticism that his words were more about politics and less about meaning.

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MAKES FLYING VISIT TO UK PRESIDENT
It seems the days in which Presidents of the United States treated our head of state with huge respect are gone. The American President, known to disagree with our President on a number of issues spent less than 3 hours at his residence. With no time for pomp and ceremony, it was disappointing to see a distinct lack of ‘Britishness’ at the event which didn’t even include the 21 gun salute. Once again it seems a shame that our head of state is judged on his politics rather than his personality. ‘If only our head of state was separate from our politicians, some are beginning to say’. Having said that, one has to sympathise with the American President’s view point – it must be difficult to respect someone who has only spent 4 years In ‘service’ to the country (most of which was spent planning elections).  59 years would surely command his respect more. What a shame we don’t have a head of state who has served for this amount of time.

PRESIDENTS GRANDSON AND NEW WIFE VISIT CANADA 
In a trip hardly likely to set Canada on fire, the Presidents grandson has touched down in Canada this morning with his wife. The couple are going to do a small amount of charity work in the morning before attending a fundraising ball in the evening which hopes to raise money for the President’s re-election campaign next year. The trip has not been well publicised in Canada with 68% of Canadians saying that ‘the trip has no relevance.’ The couple were met by a representative of the Canadian President, though they weren’t met by much else. Since the abolition of the monarchy it’s a shame that the bond between our Canadian cousins has weakened.  ‘It’s such a shame’ one Canadian veteran reported ‘I remember thousands lining the streets the last time the British head of state visited. Why? Because they were our head of state too!’ ‘The only thing the same is the protestors from Quebec’ he joked. 

TROOPING THE COLOUR 
Once again there will be no trooping of the colour this year after the President reiterated his distaste for ‘pomp and circumstance’. Despite the ceremony being loved by many British people, the President cannot be seen to be embracing something hard liners in his party would never accept. The news will once again disappoint members of the British forces who used to hugely look forward to parading in front of the Queen and indeed the country via our television screens. The move will also fuel the Presidents critics who accuse him of forcibly removing Britain’s history, tradition and image. One soldier didn’t seem too upset however: “The President is from a party who I would never vote for and whom hold views totally incompatible to mine. The idea that he would inspect me, or indeed that I would fight for him seems ridiculous’. Once again having a politician has head of state seems to be doing more harm than good.

PRESIDENT REDUCES COMMITMENTS AS HE APPROACHES 90 
The President of the Great Britain has today has announced that he will cease all duties not because he is 90 years old but because it is now less than 90 days to election day. Hundreds of schools and community centre’s will be left disappointed as our politician head of state puts elections before his people. With the 2008 US presidential election costing over 1 billion dollars it will be interesting to see how much of tax payers’ money this election will cost.

Whilst these articles are rather tongue in cheek and are meant to be read as a humorous satire, I have none the less attempted to highlight the triumphs of our system of government along with the failings of the Republican system.  No one at the BML is advocating a hereditary head of government, but the role of government should be kept completely separate to the role of the head of state. The head of state is the ultimate representative of the people, and we are so fortunate to have one who does her duty with such dignity and one who does not put elections, fundraising and political spin first. Not only does the monarchy give us some of the finest public servants in the world, it gives us an opportunity to celebrate our nation without getting bogged down in politics. The Royal Family has indeed had an extremely successful 2011, long may it continue.  If we at the BML continue to highlight Her Majesties astounding commitment then we can ensure that the diamond jubilee is another defining moment in the reign of Elizabeth II.

God Save The Queen!

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