Queen calls for respect over opposing views
Queen’s Christmas message 2018
(CNS): In her annual Christmas broadcast to the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II, now aged 92, said the Christmas message of “peace on earth and goodwill to all” was needed more than ever, as she urged people to treat each other with respect, even when they have opposing views, and urged the nation to come together. Although the Queen, as head of state, is generally neutral on politics and was not specific in her message, it came against the backdrop of a very divided Britain as it wrestles over the significant problems created by Britain’s split from Europe and Prime Minister Theresa May’s controversial Brexit deal.
The message also stirred controversy over a gold piano, which was in the background as she spoke to the Commonwealth. The monarch was filmed sitting at a desk in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, but the gold piano in the background reignited criticisms that she is out of touch at a time when UK taxpayers are footing the costly bill to renovate her palace.
The gold piano is part of the Royal Collection, more than one million pieces of art, some of which are owned directly by the Queen while others are owned by the institution of the Crown. The piano is made of mahogany but painted and gilt in gold. Queen Victoria commissioned the instrument in 1856 and it was recently restored.
While Brexit and the gold piano have dominated headlines about her annual message, the Queen also hinted that she was passing on the royal baton to younger members of her family. Emphasising the continuity of the monarchy, she spoke not only about her son and heir, Prince Charles, but the next generation of her grandchildren and great grand children.
“It has been a busy year for my family, with two weddings and two babies, and another child expected soon,” she said. “It helps to keep a grandmother well occupied.”
Category: Commonwealth, UK, World News
I like the Queen. You all need to watch the Crown. I know it’s a TV drama, but gives you an insight into what her life has been like. She has money yes, but she was born into it and didn’t ask to be. She wasn’t even suppose to be queen, it was only because of her Uncle abdicating for an American woman that the job has gone to her. That was a lot of pressure, for somebody of such a young age ( and straight after her father died), but she just got on with it.
They have a lot of money, but they also bring a lot into the economy and are part of our heritage. Harry and William do a lot for charities and do not take their privileges for granted at all. I think the gold piano was probably a mistake, but she wouldn’t have had a say in that, she would just turn up, do her speech and leave. There are loads of people behind the scenes deciding things like that for her.
I think it’s easy for the public to groan and moan about the royal family, but just like Brexit they need to learn what things would be like without them. It would be a sad day if we got rid of the heritage, culture and history they bring to the UK and commonwealth.
They bring nothing into the economy. And I went to Versailles and the Winter Palace, the fact the French and Russians had better ideas about how to handle royal families did not stop tourists.
The culture and heritage is already gone, we are now what they call Americanized.
Maybe Princess Charles should not be king since he married a divorced woman like his uncle. Like his uncle he should also have to give up being king because he married a divorcee. Equal treatment
Odious, tax-dodging, anachronistic parasite.
1.46pm a perfect example of to whom 1.37pm is referring.
Hardly. I’m not ignorant, I’m very well educated and seen these parasites in action first hand. They are worse than you can imagine.
So 1.15pm exactly what is your first hand knowledge of the Queen, have you met her?., and prey tell us where you received your excellent education, which has obviously been wasted.
“Prey tell” – what an oik.
And imagine this is the UK leader….the people who come up under her rule and follow that way of life. They all the same check their attitudes here in Cayman alone…straight up.
I suppose we must support freedom of speech but a lot of these comments only serve to illustrate the prevalence of ignorance in these islands.
She is the wealthiest monarch in the world. Guess how pays the bill.
The unemployed and sick population of England.
She is a German, but nobody likes truth.
A lesson for the Port objectors!
A lesson for the proponents of the port as well. They all have opposing views.
Unemployed tend to have no money to pay bills. Try again.
Middle class holds up society, look at the US. They are destroying the middle class and the economy is going to suffer. I don’t know what that has to do with the queen but I felt the need to say it.
But the middle class is dead my friend. Globally.
Easy to sit from an ivory tower dictating to the world around you whilst others suffer and you simply flourish every single day. Hypocrisy at best.
You are so right. No sir, no ivory tower for me.
Currently travelling the world on my Cayman pension, Cayman savings and the rent from my lakeside place. At least until September as that is when my roll over year is done and I can come back.
Disrespectful lot you are. Shame on all of you.
Yes but you say that and it is an easy thing to say. I know you respect her and that is your choice, but many of us do not respect her.
We are shocked at how she has led the country into becoming the mess that it is.
So funny that left wing rags are now supporting her when previously they associated the monarchy with the right wing.
The monarchy is so far left, it is almost Nazi.
You’re confusing left with right. The nazis are right wing you nutter.
Really? Then why was Hitler leading the National Workers Socialist Party?
Stop being indoctrinated and think for yourself a little.
I think you’ll find the tin foil hat is placed on your head, sir.
You need to study more
I was told the lies, then I studied and I am telling you that the Nazis are left wing. They hate God, they want to rule over the people with an iron fist. Please wake up.
You can be right wing (hate commies) and socialist (hate capitalism). Nazis were both.
so disrespectful of you bloggers! at lease she is a lady and not a ‘bragadocia’ like Trump
She is an unhelpful person given her resources and influence.
If she was so great she would not be so rich while the working people are so poor
She does work you know! She doesn’t just sit around next to that gold piano counting her money! She’s done loads for her country and commonwealth despite her age. I’d like to see you flying all over the world, meeting world leaders, making speeches and showing respect and tolerance to all when are in you 70s, 80s and 90s. I think some people think she rules over everything like in some fairy story. That is not her job, neither is it her job to sit around looking down on her subjects from a tall tower.
Yes we know the truth hurts mary poop-ins.
So people are complaining about a 162 year old piano now a piece of art only painted gold and they say she is out of touch… F’n muppets.
muppets is passe
Only if you are one, muppet.
Muppets ARE passee.. If you want to impress me, say it right.
Muppets are still around, the word is passe.
I for one, disagree.
Nothing better than a woman who got all she has purely by reason of birth and privilege pontificating about poverty next to a gold piano.
Exactly. The audacity.
Who Feels it. Knows it.
Groom of the Stool
Stoom of the Grool.
Brexiteers do not deserve any respect.
Neither do traitors.
New year’s wish list: Brexit gets cancelled,Trump falls soon,Dart terminates whatever agreement they have XXXX at Royal Palms put someone else there that can manage crowds properly and make it welcoming to all nationalties once again.
RP became a local s***hole filled with local pests on the make. Had to stop going. You are not going to get your other wishes either. Ashes and sticks for you!
RP is on the beach in Grand Cayman where people of color just may show up every now and then even if the weekly events are designed to turn them away.Dart can’t push it down too soon.Why live here if you don’t like the people?
The people are fine, The local men hangin’ at RP were pests.
#metoo
Well you are on our island and if you don’t like the local scenery then you should go back to whatever shit hole country you spawned from.
But can she play the piano?
She does nothing except sponge off the people.
Nothing like a heart warming message from our dictator regime. We all love ya too.
Dictator? The queen? You must have never heard of Africa.
Or even Cayman! ?