Why? Why do Americans care about the House of Windsor or Saxe-Coburg or Hanover or whatever?
The "antic caperings of a degenerated stock..." The British love'em or hate'em or whatever. A mystery, but their mystery. The year Diana died people were actually talking about getting rid of the monarchy. Fat chance. The Brits would have no idea how to function without this institution.
CNN drooled pathetically over the Obama visit to the palace, fretting over anticipated failings of protocol. Don't touch her, don't touch her, my god don't touch her.
I confess to having met her. 1971, Izmir, Turkey on board HMY Britannia in port. A pleasant experience. She wanted to talk about the war I had just come from. The champagne was good. She was nice enough to receive the officers of the NATO headquarters in the city.
The fascination that the British Crown holds for many Americans is sadly indicative of the difficulty that representative republican government holds for many people.
Perhaps we should reconsider the whole revolution thing. pl
