The Woman’s Own columnist has her say on Airbnbs, gel nails and rule books…
TIME TO PARTY
Come on Britain, let’s celebrate King and country!
In a world where constantly kicking your homeland is, somewhat madly, applauded, can we please, this week, take some time out to be positive?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a royalist or a republican, the coronation of King Charles has to mean something a tiny bit good about the UK, doesn’t it? We do pomp and ceremony better than any other country on Earth. And it’s a huge advert for our tiny collection of islands huddled together in the Atlantic.
The cost of the Royal Family is £102.4 million a year according to the latest reports. Which sounds horrific when we have a cost of living crisis and NHS workers on strike. But recent attempts to measure the size of the impact of Charlie boy and co on UK tourism have estimated the capital value of the UK monarchy, as a business, to be £67.5 billion. And the annual contribution to the UK economy to be £1.77 billion.
Maybe you think the whole concept is outdated and obscene, and maybe it is. But it’s also unique to us. All of us, whether prince or pauper.
I’ve been hugely lucky enough to travel to many places in the world for work and the one thing people always ask me about is our Royal Family. Whether it’s meeting the late Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana, the truth about the William and Harry feud or even about Kate’s latest outfit, it’s always a fascination for foreigners.
Thousands queued for up to 10 hours to pay their respects to the Queen as she lay in state. The ramblings of Harry and Meghan sell books and TV programmes around the world, and the drama that is The Crown is a massive global hit.
If this week’s coronation leaves you cold then fine. The last one was 70 years ago and who knows when the next one will be. Whatever your view, we’re all part of history. An amazing history.
My lovely late nan was very scathing of the Queen Mother’s visit to her bombed-out home in London’s East End during World War II. But it’s part of the rich tapestry of what makes the UK unique.
Of course, a gold coach containing people who are literally wearing the Crown Jewels through the streets of London that also contain food banks is insane – no one’s denying that. And I don’t care too much about King Charles and Queen Camilla, but I do care about this country. And about what an amazing place it is, and how it’s full of the most amazing people. If the King’s coronation gives us a chance to celebrate all the good things, then we sh
