A few months ago, Queen Elisabeth died. Admittedly, I barely acknowledged this event. I think that the one and only post about it on my end was regarding former frontman of the punk band Sex Pistols seemingly showing signs of further instability in his old age, showing support for the Queen, and the Royal Family more generally, even when his musical career on the punk scene exploded largely due to a song that sure seemed at the time to clearly be almost violently opposed to the mindset that propped up England's Royal Family specifically.
Well, as the saying goes, maybe it's still "too soon" to criticize Queen Elisabeth, or the Royal Family more generally. But let me just say that, as far as I am concerned, there really is no place for monarchies - symbolic figurehead leaders or otherwise - in this modern world. Perhaps it is because both of my nationalities - American and French - fought very memorable revolutions against monarchy, and did away with them. Hell, the United States was formed specifically because they rejected the British monarchy.
Yet, it is amazing - particularly here in the United States - just how many people seem entirely enamored of the glitz and glamour of the British royalty, and Queen Elisabeth, specifically. So let us remember that in so doing, they are not only propping up people who receive enormous, even staggering privileges in their lives right from birth, but also, they are at the very least glossing over - if not entirely ignoring - a very bloody and brutal history that helped establish this particular family to such lofty status.
Not long ago, comedian John Oliver dedicated a show that exposed much of this unflattering history. He was pretty sure that it was not going to receive airtime in Britain itself, and he handled that in a very funny manner. But yes, I generally believe that he has a point. And also, I strongly agree with him that this is a conversation that we all should have had a long, long time ago. Because when my son and I recently visited London, we did visit the exterior of Buckingham Palace, but this is no way showed a support of the Royal Family on my part. Far from it, frankly. My suspicion is that Oliver has a point: people will continue to visit palaces like that even long after they could be vacated as official residencies of the Royal Family.
Take a look at the video, and see if you do not agree that Oliver has a point. It is 2022, and this is a modern world that has largely moved on from the idea of royalty, and having people born into the privileges of a royal existence. Maybe it's time for us to grow up. Because whether or not he agrees with his own lyrics anymore, I believe that Jonny Rotten had a point regarding England's fixation with the Royal Family: England's Dreaming.
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