Congratulations to the Queen

[Woodsey]

Longest reigning UK monarch, long may her reign over us 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34177107

[tikay]

When I got The Times this morning, clad as it was in an "outer" with a sombre photograph of Her Majesty, I thought she had died, as it read, in bold black print


Queen Elizabeth, II, long to reign over us, February 6th 1952 - September 9 2015


It gave me quite a nasty turn until I sussed what it was all about.



What a lovely photograph this is - it was taken by Paul McCartney's daughter, Mary, I believe.

Click to see full-size image.

[Doobs]

What a shining example she is to us all.  How she gave a home to an immigrant who was no longer welcome in his own country.  She even went as far as to marry the poor soul. 

We can gloss over the fact they have spent so many years on state benefits.

Knew you'd come over to our side eventually Woodsey. 

[tikay]

63 years, 7 months & 3 days, so she knocks Queen Victoria off top spot on the podium.

In the Top of the Pots style "Top 55 Countdown", every Monarch is listed, right down to 55th spot, occupied by what appears to be a hapless Lady Jane Grey, who reigned for just 9 days, before being beheaded - at the age of 17. Yikes, they never messed about back then, did they? A 17 year old Queen of England (disputed), beheaded.



 

[tikay]

I half wish I had been taught History at school (or bright enough to learn) when I reads this stuff.

Apparently, in at number 8, is a King who went by the moniker of Aethelred the Unready.

What a great name that is for a King. 

Aethelred the Unready


Now I'll have to google him to see why he had such a great name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_the_Unready

I am now, officfially, none the wiser.

[Woodsey]

What a shining example she is to us all.  How she gave a home to an immigrant who was no longer welcome in his own country.  She even went as far as to marry the poor soul. 

We can gloss over the fact they have spent so many years on state benefits.

Knew you'd come over to our side eventually Woodsey. 

I've given home to an immigrant for quite a while mate, so you are behind the times sunshine  

[tikay]

Longest reigning UK monarch, long may her reign over us 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34177107

Camel will be along shortly to add his congratulations. He's busy at the mo, paying homage to Lord Coe. 

[Tal]

I half wish I had been taught History at school (or bright enough to learn) when I reads this stuff.

Apparently, in at number 8, is a King who went by the moniker of Aethelred the Unready.

What a great name that is for a King. 

Aethelred the Unready


Now I'll have to google him to see why he had such a great name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_the_Unready

I am now, officfially, none the wiser.

He was king twice, technically. Not many can say that.

Unready doesn't mean what it means nowadays. It related to him having no advisors and going it alone.

[tikay]

I half wish I had been taught History at school (or bright enough to learn) when I reads this stuff.

Apparently, in at number 8, is a King who went by the moniker of Aethelred the Unready.

What a great name that is for a King. 

Aethelred the Unready


Now I'll have to google him to see why he had such a great name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_the_Unready

I am now, officfially, none the wiser.

He was king twice, technically. Not many can say that.

Unready doesn't mean what it means nowadays. It related to him having no advisors and going it alone.

In that Wiki page, they sort of blend the opening two letters of his name (A & E) into one.

Bragging rights if you know the keystroke that does that. 

[Tal]

I half wish I had been taught History at school (or bright enough to learn) when I reads this stuff.

Apparently, in at number 8, is a King who went by the moniker of Aethelred the Unready.

What a great name that is for a King. 

Aethelred the Unready


Now I'll have to google him to see why he had such a great name.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86thelred_the_Unready

I am now, officfially, none the wiser.

He was king twice, technically. Not many can say that.

Unready doesn't mean what it means nowadays. It related to him having no advisors and going it alone.

In that Wiki page, they sort of blend the opening two letters of his name (A & E) into one.

Bragging rights if you know the keystroke that does that. 

Hold the alt key and 145 for the lowercase and 146 for the upper.



It's an Old English letter, called an Ash.

[tikay]

"Hold the alt key and 145 for the lowercase and 146 for the upper"

I must have an old keyboard or lappie, that does not work for me.

[Tal]

"Hold the alt key and 145 for the lowercase and 146 for the upper"

I must have an old keyboard or lappie, that does not work for me.

You have to do it on the number pad, rather than the numbers above the letter keys.

[tikay]

I give up.

[teddybloat]

Congratulations on not dying, Maggie.

It's such an unusual achievement considering you are often surrounded by men with guns or adulterous husbands sporting ceremonial swords.

Your reign truly has been glorious, except for the parts where you brought the monarchy to the lowest ebb of public opinion when that pesky ex daughter in law of yours got herself in the papers yet again. Still you didn't shame your family nearly as much as they shamed you. Affairs, divorces, keeping the company of paedophiles - albeit rich paedophiles. But you.must have wished you hugged the children, or not swept your husbands numerous affairs under the carpet. Gave them mum. But nobodies perfect, and you had duties to perform.

And you performed them well. Your reign coincided with some terrible recessions. Many of your subjects are using food banks. And through it all you never let your standards drop. You were always beautifully attired, redolent in shoes, hats and dresses that cost more than the average monthly wage. We love you for that opulence, Madge. Even when we are hungry the fact that you invite the odd nurse to your legendary garden parties gives us hope that we too may bump shoulders with business leaders, ministers and Elton John at these lavish but no doubt desperately needed affairs.

And it is the common touch we admire. Who hasn't winced as videos of us as young children are shown to people. And what young person hasn't been caught up by radical political ideas they later regret, such as Nazism.

So yes, well done on not dying Madge. It's the only requirement you have to fulfil to keep your job, and you have done it betterer and longerer than anyone else, innit. Americans will say you are the most livingest queen ever. No.one can take that away from you. No one.

Thanks for everything betty, I'm off to sing a dreary tune that implores a non-existent deity (excuse the pleonasm) to save a rich woman. It's a song about you. We sing it before football matches, often it's the last song we sing before we sing things like "no surrender to the IRA"  patriotism is great

Love and kisses,

Teddy

[DaveShoelace]

What about that Thatcher? She was nice wasn't she? Or was she a right git?

Religion's well good isn't it?

Who is the best political party? Tories or Labour? What about them UKIP fellas?

Scotland, should they leave the UK?

Are Jaffa Cakes biscuits or cakes?