I had been vaguely aware that the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth, had recently complained that she needed more money to make ends meet.The news raised a laugh from the crowd in a recent edition of Jay Leno’s ‘Late Show’ on NBC when he suggested that she needed the dosh to buy another “dowdy handbag”.
I wasn’t aware till now that the Spanish Royal Family is also to receive more money in the State budget for 2009.
Now I have to say I am a great fan of the Spanish Royals who I think compare more than favourable with the members of the House of Windsor. I also have to admit to having a schoolboy type crush on the Reina Sofía who is actually Greek by birth.
Of course the suggestion that the Royal households in Britain or Spain use the cash to buy another “dowdy handbag” or a fine “pata negra jamón’ is far from the mark. The “households” are little more than government departments with buildings, staff and expenses.
None-the-less when all about them are feeling the “credit crunch” it doesn’t do to be caught nibbling at the luxury chocolate of the same name currently being flogged by Selfridges.
During the World War II Blitz the British King and Queen endeared themselves to Londoners by staying at Buck House whilst the bombs fell about them and indeed even scored a hit. That was in the days before spin doctors or image makers but George and Elizabeth got it spot on.
A little of their savvy wouldn’t go amiss in these troubled times with both the British and Spanish Royal households.
It is an age old truism that at times of crisis those at the top have to align themselves with those at the bottom. Not to do so invariably ends in tears. 1792 and the guillotine comes to mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment