Queen calls for respect over opposing views

| 27/12/2018 | 55 Comments
Cayman News Service

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.”

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Category: Commonwealth, UK, World News

Comments (55)

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  1. 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.

    • Anonymous says:

      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.

    • Anonymous says:

      The culture and heritage is already gone, we are now what they call Americanized.

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    • No Charles says:

      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

  2. Anonymous says:

    Odious, tax-dodging, anachronistic parasite.

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    • Say it like it is says:

      1.46pm a perfect example of to whom 1.37pm is referring.

      • Anonymous says:

        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.

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        • Say it like it is says:

          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.

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    • Anonymous says:

      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.

  3. Say it like it is says:

    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.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    She is the wealthiest monarch in the world. Guess how pays the bill.
    The unemployed and sick population of England.

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    • Anonymous says:

      She is a German, but nobody likes truth.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A lesson for the Port objectors!

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    • Anonymous says:

      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.

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      • Anonymous says:

        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.

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        • Anonymous says:

          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.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Disrespectful lot you are. Shame on all of you.

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    • Anonymous says:

      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.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    so disrespectful of you bloggers! at lease she is a lady and not a ‘bragadocia’ like Trump

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    • Anonymous says:

      She is an unhelpful person given her resources and influence.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If she was so great she would not be so rich while the working people are so poor

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      • Anonymous says:

        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.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yes we know the truth hurts mary poop-ins.

  7. Anonymous says:

    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.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    I for one, disagree.

  9. Anonymous says:

    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.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Groom of the Stool

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Brexiteers do not deserve any respect.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    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.

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    • Anonymous says:

      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!

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      • Anonymous says:

        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?

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  13. Anonymous says:

    But can she play the piano?

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Nothing like a heart warming message from our dictator regime. We all love ya too.

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