Be Excellent To Each Other

There wasn't much talk of it around where we are, even though there's a lot of Brits here. I put it on telly as I knew Lady T wanted to see it (she was really moved by the funerals, which I wasn't expecting then)

Im going to go a little against the flow here, i actually found it surprisingly enjoyable , I liked the marching bit and seeing all the pomp and ceremony. Maybe because it makes me feel a little more 'connected' to home, maybe just the cool looking orb and crown, and the historic nature of the event.

Penny Mordaunt also looked smashing (even my 10 year old son made a comment). I'm at the stage of life where as well as feeling envious of Malcs new washing machine, I can appreciate a middle aged lady in a pretty dress, despite the troubling political alignment.

I find I'm a bit fonder if the royal family than I was when I was younger. While the money stuff is certainly troubling to me when there's so many poor and struggling folk (I mean, just look at all those gold plates in the church and all that other golden and bejewelled shit) I do like the enduring nature of it all. Left or right government, modern times... still it's all grounded in this old fashioned and rigid, archaic, starchy protocol. I was surprised by these feelings, to be honest.

Someone posted this on IG and for about 15 thrilling seconds I thought the Bear Reaper had struck again and there was going to be quite the news cycle.

Is Paddington an actual member of the Royal Family now?

Fifth in line to the throne, I believe, instead of Harry.

No, he's in property

Paddington has transcended such mudane considerations and has become the manifestation of the entire British State, Culture and People. He accompanies us to the other side when we die, he gives advice to our political leaders and, legend has it, if Britain is ever in peril he will take his corpereal form and lead our armies to the final victory, holding his flaming sword aloft.

And the Home Secretary wants him deported.

The new Prince Of Wales' line about how his father has always supported every faith and background seemed like a very pointed comment in that direction,

I have observed this whole spectacle from a distance (via social media) and have two questions.

1) (and this is a general societal observation, too, as I’ve seen it in friend groups) why are people so shitty towards Camilla? Lots of ‘I’ll never call her ‘queen’ and nonsense about how it should have been Diana’s day. The word ‘home wrecker’ doesn’t seem far behind. But they are celebrating Charles’ coronation. Baking cakes, getting dressed up and waving their little flags. But it’s him who cheated on Diana, right? Why does he get a pass but Camilla is cast as some evil witch? That’s some toxic patriarchy nonsense.

Secondly, William’s wife Kate always looks like she’s chewing a wasp. Especially when she’s around her kids. She looks like she actively hates the youngest one. I do not understand why she is so beloved of the royal fans. She looks like the opposite of fun.

Also, somebody put a clip of William starting a concert and saying something about his dad, and I realised that I’d never heard him speak before.

The answer to your first question is because idiots nearly always blame the woman for any affair, and a lot of idiots are Royalists.

Also, I think a lot of people didn't like Prince Charles, but as they are Royalists they still have to like King Charles.

I think Kate is just one of those mums who does not want her kids to show her up and Louis seems to be the sort of kid that likes to get up to the sort of stuff that would show her up.

I've stayed distant from the Coronation but I did watch the concert, and spent a lot of time being shocked at Mark Owen's facial hair and the reasons why he would decide it was a good look!

But he’s not showing her up. He’s just being a four (or five, or six) year old. No wonder that family end up with all of the humanity and empathy of a house brick.

But a solid gold house brick.

But he is a prince, so he has to act princely. Even if he is only 4 (or whatever he is).

Some people are silly and have unrealistic expectations of children

It's almost like the divine specialness of the royal family is total horseshit and they're just normal people who were born into privilege

I’m pretty sure that this whole facade of perfection and hiding the real, very flawed (not the kid, he’s just the kid) human beings that make up that family is what’s going to be their downfall.

They look like a load of unnatural robots. It all does get a bit ‘Uncanny Valley’ when they are in front of cameras. There is all of this talk of ‘modernising’ them, but the ridiculousness at the weekend shows that actually, no, they still want to be lifted up by extreme shows of wealth and display of power. Acting like a bunch of strict Victorians around your own kids doesn’t seem very progressive.

I just wish they'd be left alone and allowed to just be kids, and grow up to make their choices about their life.

I didn't watch the coronation, preferring to get soaked in ["the Brecon Beacons" - Rishi Sunak] instead.

Other than the music * and the occasional shot of sweaty and bored-looking matelots it didn't have any appeal or meaning for me. Like being asked to sit through a video of a friend's kid's confirmation - meaningful to them but I'd rather pass.

*Zadok the Priest is an absolute banger but if you don't start losing interest during the intro before being walloped in the face by the force of the choir, the performance is a dud.