Britain depends on royal magic
But country doesn’t like to admit it
LONDON — A question that has been heard a lot lately is whether the world’s best-known hereditary monarchy will be popular enough to survive until the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby George Alexander Louis — officially known as Prince George of Cambridge — ascends the throne in 30, 50 or 70 years.
A better question is: How would Britain’s heavily tourist-dependent economy survive if the royal family were no longer part of the calculation?
The economic boost that is to be provided by the birth of the royal baby has been estimated to be a staggering half-billion pounds (nearly $800 million Cdn).
Small wonder, actually, when you consider that at the peak of babymania hysteria earlier this week, a stunning 18,000 tweets a minute were going out about #royalbaby, or that at least 300 photographers felt it worthwhile to spend weeks waiting to get that “first” photo of the future sovereign.
The benefits of the royal family and its loyal adjunct, the British military, were readily apparent elsewhere in London on Tuesday, too. Although there had barely been a public announcement that there would be a 41-gun salute by the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery to mark the birth of Prince William’s and Kate’s first-born, 10,000 spectators suddenly gathered on the lawn of Green Park to “ooh” and “aah” on cue at the horses, the gun carriages, the archaic uniforms and the kind of pomp, boom and dazzle that Britons do better than anyone else.
With little complaint from any of them, the dukes, duchesses, princes, princesses and Queen Eliz- abeth herself, leading by example, maintain a fantastic pace. Every single day, the royals are out there waving the flag and selling Britain as a unique brand not only at home but around the globe.
Rather than chuck the House of Windsor out, Britain will surely one day count on Prince George to keep bringing in the crowds unless he one day does the unthinkable but logical thing and takes advantage of his Canadian, Australian or Kiwi nationality to emigrate to a more prosperous part of the realm.
The Spectator published a wry, but serious article last week titled Colonial rule: Why Aussies, Kiwis and Canadians are running Britain.
Canadian Mark Carney has become “the single most important figure in our economy” as the boss of the Bank of England; the Australian Lynton Crosby has become a top adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron; South African Ryan Coetzee heads political strategy for the Liberal Democrats; and a New Zealander and a Zimbabwean have restored pride to the national rugby and cricket teams, the magazine said.
Although it has attracted less public notice, a Canadian woman, Moya Greene, was imported to run the Royal Mail.
“From Westminster to Lords, from Threadneedle Street to the try line, a theme is emerging,” The Spectator said. “The Dominions are rapidly gaining dominion — over us.
“They bring with them a sense of the frontier spirit, something which has been largely lost from Britain since the end of empire. Indeed, in many ways, they represent the discipline, ingenuity and confidence that were once this nation’s hallmarks.”
That Britain badly needs new ideas is a given. The London Daily Telegraph was hardly alone when it stated this week that Britain’s sad-sack economy was “in remission — drugged up on cheap money, subsidized credit and rock-bottom interest rates.” The National Health Service has once again been savaged for being unable to provide adequate medical care. The armed forces are unhappily enduring drastic budget cuts.
Canadian visitors tend to have a much more positive view of Britain. The reason for this is that they largely confine themselves to Central London, the Home Counties and quick excursions to Cardiff, the Lake District, Edinburgh or Scotland’s Western Isles. Viewed through this relatively narrow prism, Britain is a marvel. The cuisine moved well beyond bangers, mash and peas several decades ago. The theatre is inventive. Last summer’s Olympic Games were an artistic and sporting triumph. Oxford and Cambridge remain firstclass universities.
Although sometimes mocked here as characters out of a dim soap opera, what still works for Britain is the royal family.
Strange to say, but the little tyke has already joined the family firm.
It has been a glorious, joyous few days for the royal family — but also for a country that depends on their magic far more than it cares to admit.