This post, and the one before it about the monarchy, were originally written in 2021 as ‘how it IS because’ posts, but now, in 2025, they are ‘how it was’ and could use an update to reflect some recent changes. This time we address the Commonwealth, which has a new Head, one less Realm, andContinue reading “Clarifying the Commonwealth, 2025 edit”
Tag Archives: commonwealth
Chipping Away at Ignorance, One Word at a Time
As you will know if you have been reading this blog for a while, I am a defender of the monarchy and Commonwealth (to be clear, I mean the monarchy based in the UK). I understand how both institutions work in the present day and am continuing to refine that understanding, so that I canContinue reading “Chipping Away at Ignorance, One Word at a Time”
Today is Commonwealth Day
I have written a post about the Commonwealth before, which clarified what the Commonwealth actually is, and what it does, and straightened out some incorrect assumptions about it. This year, Commonwealth Day is particularly significant, because this year is the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: for seventy years, she has not only been Queen, but also HeadContinue reading “Today is Commonwealth Day”
Yes, A Platinum Jubilee is Kind of a Big Deal
Today marks the seventieth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession. She has been Queen for seventy years. Some people don’t even spend seventy years working before they retire, and yet here is our Queen, fulfilling her role as Head of State admirably, seventy years on. The Commonwealth Realms will celebrate this milestone later in theContinue reading “Yes, A Platinum Jubilee is Kind of a Big Deal”
‘Ich Dien’
On the official crest of the Prince of Wales, there is a motto: ich dien. In German, this means ‘I serve’. The history of this motto, and the ostrich feathers that accompany it, are not the point of this post. Nor is the history of the title ‘Prince of Wales’, though both are very interesting.Continue reading “‘Ich Dien’”
No More Black-and-White Thinking
I would love to write a nice, calm, blog post walking you through Victoria, or pointing out some of the off-the-beaten-track stuff that I love about York, or something like that. But black-and-white thinking continues to frustrate me, so here we are. If you’ve read one of my previous posts, you’ll know about the thingContinue reading “No More Black-and-White Thinking”
Just Because X, Doesn’t Mean Y
One thing I cannot stand is something I’ve started to call ‘black and white’ thinking’. This may not be exactly the best term for it – ‘blinkered’ thinking might be a more accurate term perhaps – but it’s what I call it when people don’t know a lot about a topic, but seize on oneContinue reading “Just Because X, Doesn’t Mean Y”
Nuancing Some Stereotypes
This is being posted on Commonwealth Day, so, Happy Commonwealth Day! Have a read of my previous post on here about the Commonwealth if you want to know more about that. This post, though, is about my favourite Commonwealth Realm: Canada. There is so much I would like to say about Canada: we’ve already hadContinue reading “Nuancing Some Stereotypes”
De-mystifying the Monarchy
This post is the second half of a two-part look at two topics which are very important to me, both closely related and both inadequately understood: the Commonwealth, and the Monarchy. I am far from an expert in this subject; I am still learning about the monarchy, for two reasons: the country I am fromContinue reading “De-mystifying the Monarchy”
Clarifying the Commonwealth
This post, and the one which will shortly follow it, are more ‘how it is because’ posts rather than ‘how it was’, because these are two closely related topics which are very current. I’m talking about the Commonwealth and the monarchy. For context, I live in the UK but am from Canada, and have familyContinue reading “Clarifying the Commonwealth”
How It Was Because 