A lovely tribute from you Nick. I also was shocked when I heard the Queen had died. I knew she was unwell but when I saw the photo of her with the new dubious ( my opinion )PM Ms Truss the Queen is standing, to welcome her a big smile on her face. She has/had a beautiful smile. I thought she's been unwell but the doctors will pull he through. But they couldn't.,and didn't. I had a cry because it is a loss- it felt a little like losing a grandmother- a wise female role model. But my maternal grandmother was not a royalist. She was born in London at the end of the nineteenth century. She riled against the English class system and the privilege of the royals. She was especially angry about the situation of men who had served in the Great War-1914 to 18, and the poverty and joblessness they came back to. She definitely saw the royals as being completely out of touch with ordinary people. She met my grandfather when he was a young kiwi soldier having r@r in London-on a tram no less. He was in uniform-she invited him to her family home for dinner and they kept in touch by letter after the war. Eventually he proposed and she said yes. Her family gave permission and she became a NZer. , a staunch Labour party member . She died in the 1960s -too soon. I've often wondered what she would have made of the royal family now when they are so much more accessible. Still privileged, but the role they play in the UK,and NZ is much more tangible. Especially as a stabilising factor in our particular form of democracy. If the USA is an example of a modern republic, I am happy to have a monarch 12,000 miles away, represented by a governor general as an extra level of protection against the chaos and anarchy they are experiencing.
A very moving tribute. Thank you Nick. The question of a republic is difficult. What are the models to consider? How did those European countries manage it? Interesting times.
Thank you Nick, for putting the thoughts of so many into words. I am old enough to remember being called into a special assembly at school in England, to be told of the death of King George VI. He and his daughter Elizabeth dedicated their lives to service. We should be grateful.
Thanks Nick. I tend to agree with you. I'm not what you would call a Royalist, but I do think we're far better off with that set-up than having a President. Heaven forbid! There won't be the same affection for Charles, so it will be interesting to see how things roll from now. I hope the media leave him alone. As a fellow 1948 baby, I feel obliged to support him. Long live the King! Lol. Seriously though, I'm happy for the monarchy to tick along as an affectionate presence, but with no real power over us. And yes, a lovely piece of music.
"Yes it is anachronistic that our Head of State represents a colonial history we have mostly moved on from."
aaw. i love your Daily Read and like your politics. But.....
i will say that the words "anachronistic" and "mostly moved on from" are very far removed from how Maori are feeling about our colonial "history" at this time. i welcome acknowledgement to her as a person but she was born into her position as head of the empire in the context of the whole history of western european empire building. to a life of extreme privalege amidst the immiseration of the masses. she did carry that well.
your comment does seem to swerve in the direction of the dominant discourse that the impacts of colonisation are in the past.
but i am not a writer, these people do a better job of illustrating the complex reactions of colonised peoples:
Thanks for this Nick. You captured so well the many aspects of history and service. I've always felt sorry for the monarchy having to have a stiff upper lip. I've enjoyed the overview of the Queen's life and have enormous respect for her commitment. What a sacrifice. I've always been against the monarchy but I may change my mind as the alternative does not look good - expensive and interfering. It's hard being an idealist, but I was helped in my thinking today with the RNZ material.
A lovely tribute from you Nick. I also was shocked when I heard the Queen had died. I knew she was unwell but when I saw the photo of her with the new dubious ( my opinion )PM Ms Truss the Queen is standing, to welcome her a big smile on her face. She has/had a beautiful smile. I thought she's been unwell but the doctors will pull he through. But they couldn't.,and didn't. I had a cry because it is a loss- it felt a little like losing a grandmother- a wise female role model. But my maternal grandmother was not a royalist. She was born in London at the end of the nineteenth century. She riled against the English class system and the privilege of the royals. She was especially angry about the situation of men who had served in the Great War-1914 to 18, and the poverty and joblessness they came back to. She definitely saw the royals as being completely out of touch with ordinary people. She met my grandfather when he was a young kiwi soldier having r@r in London-on a tram no less. He was in uniform-she invited him to her family home for dinner and they kept in touch by letter after the war. Eventually he proposed and she said yes. Her family gave permission and she became a NZer. , a staunch Labour party member . She died in the 1960s -too soon. I've often wondered what she would have made of the royal family now when they are so much more accessible. Still privileged, but the role they play in the UK,and NZ is much more tangible. Especially as a stabilising factor in our particular form of democracy. If the USA is an example of a modern republic, I am happy to have a monarch 12,000 miles away, represented by a governor general as an extra level of protection against the chaos and anarchy they are experiencing.
A very moving tribute. Thank you Nick. The question of a republic is difficult. What are the models to consider? How did those European countries manage it? Interesting times.
Great writing Nick. Thank you. I have mixed views on becoming a Republic, especially if we go after the Presidential model of the US.
Thank you Nick, for putting the thoughts of so many into words. I am old enough to remember being called into a special assembly at school in England, to be told of the death of King George VI. He and his daughter Elizabeth dedicated their lives to service. We should be grateful.
Thanks Nick. I tend to agree with you. I'm not what you would call a Royalist, but I do think we're far better off with that set-up than having a President. Heaven forbid! There won't be the same affection for Charles, so it will be interesting to see how things roll from now. I hope the media leave him alone. As a fellow 1948 baby, I feel obliged to support him. Long live the King! Lol. Seriously though, I'm happy for the monarchy to tick along as an affectionate presence, but with no real power over us. And yes, a lovely piece of music.
"Yes it is anachronistic that our Head of State represents a colonial history we have mostly moved on from."
aaw. i love your Daily Read and like your politics. But.....
i will say that the words "anachronistic" and "mostly moved on from" are very far removed from how Maori are feeling about our colonial "history" at this time. i welcome acknowledgement to her as a person but she was born into her position as head of the empire in the context of the whole history of western european empire building. to a life of extreme privalege amidst the immiseration of the masses. she did carry that well.
your comment does seem to swerve in the direction of the dominant discourse that the impacts of colonisation are in the past.
but i am not a writer, these people do a better job of illustrating the complex reactions of colonised peoples:
https://e-tangata.co.nz/history/what-the-bishop-
said-to-the-queen/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD8eMpmlkhI
cheers
Thanks for this Nick. You captured so well the many aspects of history and service. I've always felt sorry for the monarchy having to have a stiff upper lip. I've enjoyed the overview of the Queen's life and have enormous respect for her commitment. What a sacrifice. I've always been against the monarchy but I may change my mind as the alternative does not look good - expensive and interfering. It's hard being an idealist, but I was helped in my thinking today with the RNZ material.