The British are Coming! The British Are coming!

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149191704272
from JoeUser Forums

No, this is not about 1776.  It is under current events after all!  But yes, America is but 6 months away from another British Invasion!  Unlike the one of 64, or the one of Diana and Charles, this one is "A Really Big Shoe!  Really Big!".

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are coming over in May for the 400th (that has a word, but who remembers it other than spelling bee contestants?) anniversary of the settling of Jamestown!  And I got a front row seat!  And yes, I am going to be there to see the lady and her husband!

Unlike 1964 (when I was but a mere lad) and 1981 (I don't cotton to either of them, sorry Diane Chambers, I am not an Anglophile), I am looking forward to this.  Queen Elizabeth II is more than just a figure head of Jolly olde England.  She is also, in my case, a very respected head of government.  One who has governed wisely and leastly (OK!  I know you got Parliament!).  But unlike the tabloid children and siblings, Queen Elizabeth II (I will not denigrate her with a QEII) has stayed above the trash and scandals.  And brought back a noblesse oblige to royalty.

Will I bow to her?  Certainly!  Out of respect for the lady she is.  Will I wave the British Flag?  No.  After all, it was her ancestor that we did get mad at.  But like all Americans (well almost all), we do not bear grudges over centuries.  And I think for her to Honor our founding (OK, St. Petersburg is older, as well as the native American culture) with a visit says a lot to me.  And I am honored by her thoughts in our 400th anniversary.

I guess I want to see a great lady.  We have some good ones here, but I missed Margaret Thatcher, and don't want to miss another one.  One can be great through accomplishments or deeds.  Margaret Thatcher was one of the former.  Queen Elizabeth is one of the latter.  She has always been someone to respect, even if she lead a gilded life.  She rose above that.

Hail to the Queen!  God Save the Queen!

p.s. As an Aside, the first time I saw Jamestown was when the Beatles invaded the US.  The 2 have nothing to do with each other, but it is an interesting tid bit of trivia.

3,461 views 19 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
the 400th (that has a word, but who remembers it other than spelling bee contestants?


Quadricentennial? :D

~Zoo
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top

Quadricentennial?

And how many spelling bees did you win?

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Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, the excitement down in my neck of the woods is steadily building.

I just have one question - Is it too late to make sure I'm out of town the entire month of May? All the tourons that are going to be infesting the place for the quadcentennial is going to make the entire Jamestown/Yorktown/Williamsburg area a complete and utter madhouse. And it's bad enough during a NORMAL tourist season.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

All the tourons

When dealt lemons, make lemonade.  Instead of running away, figure out how to make money off of them!

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

Amen Doc. God Save Our Gracious Queen!
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
And how many spelling bees did you win?


I came in third in a very unofficial one ...I don't like doing those. Too much pressure, but one of my friends was like a state winner or something...he's a dictionary.

~Zoo
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top

Amen Doc. God Save Our Gracious Queen!

If she had been around 230 years ago, we might be part of the commonwealth.

Hahhhh! 

But she is an excellant Goodwill host for Great Britian.

Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top

but one of my friends was like a state winner or something...he's a dictionary.

Guess he rubs off on you some then.

Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Are they leaving CHuck home this time? How will we get by without his moral lessons about how we are too intolerant toward Islam? I guess there are just too many jews for him here.
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top
Are they leaving CHuck home this time?


Please! Lets have the good and leave the rest to Hertz.
Reply #11 from JoeUser Forums Top
When dealt lemons, make lemonade. Instead of running away, figure out how to make money off of them!


Set up a lemonade stand!LOL! No, at your age, you're over 10, sell water and a light snack!
Reply #12 from JoeUser Forums Top
I do hope you enjoy the visit, Doc. Four hundred years is a something to celebrate, for sure.

The following is a little off topic, Doc, but I'm sure you'll forgive me... A lot of people in my neck of the woods get excited whenever the Queen visits here. While I have respect for the office she holds and the title she has, I am antiroyalist because I want to see Australia standing on its own, without the aide of the Commonwealth. I think we're old enough and big enough to give it go and declare ourselves a republic.
Reply #13 from JoeUser Forums Top
ahh...the only Queen I ever cared for much was Freddie Mercury's band...   
Reply #14 from JoeUser Forums Top
As far as queens go, I've always kind of favored Eddie Izzard

As a head of state she deserves the respect that goes with the office, but her visit just isn't that much of a deal to me personally.
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top

I am antiroyalist because I want to see Australia standing on its own, without the aide of the Commonwealth. I think we're old enough and big enough to give it go and declare ourselves a republic.

We dont have that problem, so can be Anglophiles when the mood strikes us.  But I do understand the feeling.

Reply #16 from JoeUser Forums Top

ahh...the only Queen I ever cared for much was Freddie Mercury's band...

What????  Not Miss Divine?

Reply #17 from JoeUser Forums Top

but her visit just isn't that much of a deal to me personally.

Ah, you are just jealous of her hat.

Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Reply #19 from JoeUser Forums Top
Sorry a bit late into the conversation, but you might have an earlier invasion, since its nearly $2 to the pound. Shopping on the other side of the pond never looked so affordable, even after including an airfare.

I want to see Australia standing on its own, without the aide of the Commonwealth. I think we're old enough and big enough to give it go and declare ourselves a republic.


hear hear. though we wouldn't necessarily leave the commonwealth, as there are many commonwealth nations (actually a majority) that are also republics (such as South Africa). Some even have their own monarchy.

If she had been around 230 years ago, we might be part of the commonwealth.


You can still join if you want to, hell Mozambique joined and they were never part of the Empire in the first place. And we need the competition at the commonwealth games...