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Happy Birthday, Your Majesty

You have no doubt heard that the 85-year-old emperor of Japan will be stepping down this month so that his son can become the new emperor.

Emperor Akihito (son of Emperor Hirohito) felt that his age prevented him from effectively carrying out his duties.


There are tons of videos on YouTube about His Majesty. I love watching them. It's nice to see people bowing respectfully to their titular ruler.




Have a nice day!

I know that his father Hirohito was hated in the Netherlands and when he visited the Netherlands in 1971 there were many protests and he was booed and many insults were shouted at him. When his son came, the current Emperor the feelings of hatred was a lot less. The new generation will also be viewed more positively.
 
There is no system in place saying a Dutch monarch must abdicate, it is tradition only. HM made a vow to serve her people as long as she lives, she takes that vow very serious. From what has been reported once Prince Phillip passes HM will go into semi retirement at Balmoral, but she will retain the crown, Prince Charles will pick up most of her duties except the red boxes.

It is tradition, a very good tradition IMHO. If a royal king/queen is in fact no longer able to perform all their duties they should think about abdicating.
 
Today, Easter Sunday, is the 93rd birthday of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

I wish that we Americans had a purely ceremonial head of state, too.

Then we would all have someone to admire or at least ignore.

(A prime minister would be the head of government, the one with the actual power and the recipient of praise or criticism.)

Happy Birthday, Ma'am.
hahaha no thanks...Americans don't do the queen thing.
 
Not for me

I don't like the monarchy but don't wish them any individual ill. I would phase them out if it were up to me and spend the money on social programmes instead


I would abolish the monarchies in both my countries, Britain and Sweden. Having someone to admire sounds good - but what if they are not admirable? Like Edward VIII, the Nazi sympathiser or Britain's next king, Charles the Foolish?
 
It is tradition, a very good tradition IMHO. If a royal king/queen is in fact no longer able to perform all their duties they should think about abdicating.

If HM is incapacitated there is a regency act which will be passed by Parliment and the overseas dominions. Prince Charles would have all the duties but not the title. Unlike other European monarchies the UK has no tradition of abdication. The only case I am aware of in 1000 years is that of Edward VII. A one off is not a tradition.
 
I know that his father Hirohito was hated in the Netherlands and when he visited the Netherlands in 1971 there were many protests and he was booed and many insults were shouted at him.

Ah, yes.

I think that a discussion about Emperor Hirohito's actual role in World War II would be fascinating.


I do not know (a) in what forum such a topic should be placed and (b) whether any members are interested in the topic.



Have a nice day!
 
Ah, yes.

I think that a discussion about Emperor Hirohito's actual role in World War II would be fascinating.


I do not know (a) in what forum such a topic should be placed and (b) whether any members are interested in the topic.



Have a nice day!

I believe there is a history forum here at DP.

When Hirotito died in 1989 there was a bit controversy when Prince Phillip traveled to Japan for the funeral. I was in the UK at the time and remember the papers making quite the fuss.
 
I would abolish the monarchies in both my countries, Britain and Sweden. Having someone to admire sounds good - but what if they are not admirable? Like Edward VIII, the Nazi sympathiser or Britain's next king, Charles the Foolish?

What people find " admirable " or not will vary from person to person and is not my objection to it Sweden

My view that the money being lavished on them and the mini army of other toffs getting hand outs they don't need would be better spent on people who are struggling. We could fund centres to assist spouses caught up in violent relationships , help disabled kids and adults , help the aged etc etc the list is massive instead of spending vast amounts of public money on a privileged elite will can ill afford

As a secondary dislike I don't like the fawning and pomp over and for the royals. Having met two of them personally and see in first hand it made me sick tbh
 
What people find " admirable " or not will vary from person to person and is not my objection to it Sweden

My view that the money being lavished on them and the mini army of other toffs getting hand outs they don't need would be better spent on people who are struggling. We could fund centres to assist spouses caught up in violent relationships , help disabled kids and adults , help the aged etc etc the list is massive instead of spending vast amounts of public money on a privileged elite will can ill afford

As a secondary dislike I don't like the fawning and pomp over and for the royals. Having met two of them personally and see in first hand it made me sick tbh

Instead of a monarch you would have a D Trump. Paying for his travels, golf trips and his wife's staff. The British monarchy are well aware that public opinion in the UK keeps them were they are. Also Parliament can rid of its self of the monarchy with an act. Presently the UK monarchy has a high approval rating, and the Republicans are a very small minority. This may change with Charles on the throne, but the Queen is very popular and is going no were.
 
Instead of a monarch you would have a D Trump. Paying for his travels, golf trips and his wife's staff. The British monarchy are well aware that public opinion in the UK keeps them were they are. Also Parliament can rid of its self of the monarchy with an act. Presently the UK monarchy has a high approval rating, and the Republicans are a very small minority. This may change with Charles on the throne, but the Queen is very popular and is going no were.

Is the higher approval rating due to the two young brides? Markle alone seems to have given a new spark to the old fairy tale princess dream.
 
If HM is incapacitated there is a regency act which will be passed by Parliment and the overseas dominions. Prince Charles would have all the duties but not the title. Unlike other European monarchies the UK has no tradition of abdication. The only case I am aware of in 1000 years is that of Edward VII. A one off is not a tradition.

I agree, but IMHO opinion it would be a good tradition to have. Our queens so far have waited with abdicating until their children/the crown prince/princess had time to have a family themselves so that they had a few years of privacy with their children before the family unit was thrown into the royal circus/guilt cage. Our royal children go to a regular school, usually by bike and live their lives as many other children do. Which gives them a level head on their shoulders.
 
Ah, yes.

I think that a discussion about Emperor Hirohito's actual role in World War II would be fascinating.


I do not know (a) in what forum such a topic should be placed and (b) whether any members are interested in the topic.



Have a nice day!

Personally I think the power of the emperor during the second world war was limited, but he still was the face of a brutal criminal regime that spread terror and despair around the Asian region. The treatment of the Dutch and Indonesians was horrendous and a total war crime. Hence the view of many who's parents/children had died in Indonesia in gruesome conditions. Murdered or left to die by the Japs.
 
Instead of a monarch you would have a D Trump. Paying for his travels, golf trips and his wife's staff. The British monarchy are well aware that public opinion in the UK keeps them were they are. Also Parliament can rid of its self of the monarchy with an act. Presently the UK monarchy has a high approval rating, and the Republicans are a very small minority. This may change with Charles on the throne, but the Queen is very popular and is going no were.

At present we have a parliament full of career politicians that are all/virtually all little gravy train riders AND a whole lot of landed gentry toffs so losing one or the other or both would definitely free up much needed funds for the causes I think are much more deserving that I hinted at in my last post.

There is no doubt that the Royals are masters at brand management/reinvention. They rode out the not paying tax ,Windsor castle fire , death of Diana debacles and rose like the proverbial Phoenix.

At 93 the Queen will be going somewhere , or nowhere depending on your belief system , in the not to distant anyway but I still think they will continue to be popular regardless. The masses are always easily led imo
 
Is the higher approval rating due to the two young brides? Markle alone seems to have given a new spark to the old fairy tale princess dream.

Without doubt and the cruel irony is that they have married Diana's two sons , well one son , ones imo is Hewitt's . They are masters as reinvention and brand management and promotion
 
Without doubt and the cruel irony is that they have married Diana's two sons , well one son , ones imo is Hewitt's . They are masters as reinvention and brand management and promotion

Harry is his Fathers Son.


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prince-charles-prince-harry-main-getty.jpg
 
Happy birthday, now create a system where the crown moves to the next in line before the ruler's death. I favour the system in the Netherlands where the king/queen abdicates after a few decades so that the next in line can take over before they are too old to be an effective king/queen.

I think the British expect the monarch to have no effect.
 
What people find " admirable " or not will vary from person to person and is not my objection to it Sweden

My view that the money being lavished on them and the mini army of other toffs getting hand outs they don't need would be better spent on people who are struggling. We could fund centres to assist spouses caught up in violent relationships , help disabled kids and adults , help the aged etc etc the list is massive instead of spending vast amounts of public money on a privileged elite will can ill afford

As a secondary dislike I don't like the fawning and pomp over and for the royals. Having met two of them personally and see in first hand it made me sick tbh

Can we agree that the whole pack of 'British' royals should be shipped off back to Germany whence they came?
 
she is not my Queen ..... she is not of House Stuart/Stewart ... no matter what she claims she is Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ... the mere fact we are in Scotland have to call her Queen Elizabeth the 2nd is a affront to all Scots we have never had a Queen Elizabeth 1st ... and i hope soon after we leave the UK she will and her family will not be monarchs in Scotland

To the King over the water!
 
Can we agree that the whole pack of 'British' royals should be shipped off back to Germany whence they came?

Ah bugger it. The English came from Germany. They might as well drag a monarchy along behind them.
 
Harry is his Fathers Son.

Well , I would not contend the logic in the statement but unless you were there at the conception , I would have thought those others present might have noticed this , or have compelling DNA evidence , you are as in the dark as I am.

View attachment 67255632

I would say these two people look very alike , wouldn't you ?

I watched a documentary one time about a couple that had 4 kids. The last one had ,, IIRC , cystic fibrosis ( could be wrong though . The medical team seemed puzzled as to why none of the others had the condition seeing as it takes both parents to have the gene responsible. After a little discussion a paternity test was conducted on the child and they were found to have a different father. Some time later paternity tests told that none of the other 3 kids were his either and none of them shared the same father :shock:

People lie Serenity, shock horror .
 
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Can we agree that the whole pack of 'British' royals should be shipped off back to Germany whence they came?

Common ground between us , lol , whooda thunk it ? :lol:

Reminds me of when Angela Merkel visited Greece and was questioned by an airport official

" Name ? "

"Angela Merkel."

" Nationality ? "

" German . "

" Occupation ? "

" No , it's just a diplomatic visit this time, honestly . "

:mrgreen:
 
Let us all hope that Her Majesty takes a cue from the Japanese Emperor who retired last year and let his son take over.

Her Majesty has done a splendid job since the 1950s.

It is now time for her to pack it in.

She should let Prince Charles take over now.

She would have the pleasure of seeing her son become the King.
 
Ah bugger it. The English came from Germany. They might as well drag a monarchy along behind them.


The English as Anglo-Saxons came from Schleswig-Holstein, so to speak.
In those days there was no nation state called "Germany".
 
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