The Dean

According to Sky News, he's being given a 62-gun salute in Hyde Park this afternoon.

62???

What's that all about?? Military significance??

Commander, any idea??

Madam Medusa

nothing to do with his age - he is getting the basic 21 gun salute, plus a further 20 because the Tower of London is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London'...

MM, xx

MissDemeanor

I like our Charlie...he does alot of good work.

Madam Medusa

looks like the poor sod will never get to be top dog though...

MM, xx

MissDemeanor

why?

Madam Medusa

well queenie doesn't look like she's going anywhere...and he's already 60, he's getting on a bit...

MM, xx

The Dean

Well Mama (now 82) will never abdicate and her mum lived to be 100............

Charles will get the job at about 76 I reckon..........

MissDemeanor

well if shes anything like her mother.....

The Dean

So it's a load of crap then, basically?

Madam Medusa

no, they only do more than 21-gun salutes for very special occasions...so he is a very lucky boy...

MM, xx

MacScot

He's known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland..

...just found out today that when the Duke of Edinburgh dies the next duke will be Edward !

Squirty Cream

Good work or not, the Monarchy really is outdated and the whole point of their existence needs to be called into question.

I mean, does anyone actually what the Queen's speech anymore?

Squirty Cream

Oops meant 'watch' the Queen's speech - probably only people still in the Commonwealth because they haven't got anything better to do?

MissDemeanor

I watch the Queens speech.
The Royals are a link to the grand past of the British Empire; they donate millions to charity and inspire a sense of true nationalism.

Squirty Cream

I'm not a Royalist at all and I think they are well beyond their sell by date and there are lots of other good links to a grand past and people who donate millions to charity. However, I do concede that a Republic might not be the right alternative either. And if people want to support the whole royalist thing then if it gives them a sense of identity then great.

Nationalism? Don't you think it's something sadly lacking in England today... The Scots have a national identity, as do the Welsh and the Irish, but the English have no sense of national identity - it's been undermined by so many misguided attempts to be 'everything to everyone'. By the way, here's an idea for a new thread - what is the definitive national dress of England?