About King Charles

 If you were wondering if I was going to blog about the Coronation or not. Well, here it is. That is all I am going to say about it for now.I found this meme very funny.

Things to do in May

As it seems to be its monthly tradition, English Heritage has published a post giving the top 5 things to do in May. I must confess, I am not the biggest fan of the month, to be honest, but I do give him one virtue, at least here in England: it has a lot of bank holidays. This year, we have one extra because of the coronation. I guess May 2023 will be dominated by the celebrations, which I am not too excited about. But I do like the suggestion number 4, about visiting an English Heritage's tea room. That sounds right up my alley. And you, what do you want to do in May?

The Queen Is Dead...

My wife told me a few mintues ago, as I was typing another post, that Queen Elizabeth the Second is dead. At her age, it is not exactly shocking, but it is nevertheless a big event here. As an expat (and a republican at that) living in the UK, I feel like I'm in the eye of the storm. I am not a monarchist, as you know, I cannot say I am very sad, especially since she died like not many people do: in comfort, receiving the best medical care, after living a priviledged life in luxury. Nevertheless, she was loved and many will be upset about it. For me, it just shows me that however well born you are, you cannot escape your own mortality.

Jubilee Cake

Yesterday, we went to one of those "street parties" that the English are quite fond of when there is something to celebrate. It was of course to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. There were Jubilee pizzas, Jubilee nachos, with Jubilee salsa, Jubilee guacamole, Jubilee sausages, Jubilee other things and a proper Jubilee Cake, baked by one of the neighbours, not bought or anything. Only the topping as purchased. She was quite proud of making it. I managed to get this picture before more got eaten. At least you can see the inside. It tasted quite nice, I must say. Even though I'm a republican, I can appreciate British bakery. And in spite of my misanthropy, I can enjoy a little fête among neighbours.

Calembour royalement atroce

J'y ai pensé pas plus tard qu'il y a quelques minutes et je me devais d'immortaliser ce calembour atroce maintenant. Alors le voici, retenez votre souffle: 

"Aujourd'hui, les Anglais jubilent." 

Je sais, je sais, vous êtes maintenant pris entre le désir de vous faire aller les gencives ou vous goinfrer de Tylenols pour la migraine que vous venez subitement de choper.

The Jubilee Cat (and an invitation)

We received this through the door a few days ago. It is an invitation to a local Jubilee Party on the 5th of June. It is not signed. There are parties like this all around England and the UK of course. I don't know who gave us this card, but I suspect she (I think it's a she, this is a woman's handwriting) knows we are cat lovers. Or maybe she's just an old lady. Old ladies sent such cards, with cats on them. We don't know yet if we will attend. I am not a monarchist, for one, so I find the current display of patriotism a little bit much. And, while I get along with a few neighbours, there are one or two I can't stand. Still, it's a cool cat. A Jubilee Cat, if you will.

Jubilee Bookmark

We went to downtown yesterday and... in the bookshop. My wife was hesitant, because she feared that I would buy books, which I did. Books and one bookmark: this one. It was only £3.00. It is a special bookmark to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The Brits are getting crazy about it. I am not a monarchist, you will not see this house covered with Union jacks or see portraits of ol' Betty hanging on these walls. That said, I am a collector of bookmarks and I love to encourage local businesses, especially bookshops. So I bought this bookmark. I will give it to my wife, it looks very feminine anyway. When in Rome, and all that.

Harry, Meghan et la caricature d'Ygreck

Bon, je ne la reproduirai pas ici, mais allez jeter un oeil à la caricature d'Ygreck au lien suivant. Sur la tragicomédie royale qui commence drôlement à m'ennuyer ici. Cela dit, je trouve la caricature bien drôle. Je l'ai montrée à ma femme, qui n'a pas tout compris et à mon fils, qui l'a trouvée tordante. Il l'appelle "la cawicaturrre". Je la lui montre et c'est un fou rire garanti.

Meghan, Harry and a Tim Hortons coffee?

Well, I wondered if I should mention it, and if so, how to talk about it on this blog. You know the big psychodrama that is happening here: Prince Harry and Meghan are stepping away from their royal duties (such as they are) and are trying to become independent financially. As they have more than 40 millions pounds in the bank, or so I read, I don't think money will be a problem. They are also going to live outside the UK, probably in Canada. Because it is a former colony and in many ways still is. It sort of makes sense: there are plenty of Brits fed up with the dreary weather there who just want to go and live somewhere else (my wife is not one of them, in case you are asking). And to turn this psychodrama on a farce, Tim Hortons are offering the couple (I guess not their baby boy) free coffee when they move in. Really? I have no sympathy for the royal family, but do they really deserve to suffer this? Because coffee is a vile drink, and Tim Hortons' one is as vile as it gets (like a lot of horrors they make). No seriously, no wonder they offer it to the couple for free: who would want to pay for it?

Le tricolore sur l'Angleterre

J'ai pris cette photo au marché français la fin de semaine dernière. Le tricolore, tout gaulois et républicain, ça me fait toujours plaisir de le voir flotter au vent en Angleterre, comme c'était le cas ici. C'est comme un pied de nez à la monarchie. Surtout qu'il flottait vraiment au vent pour la peine, bien déployé et tout. Je vais faire un aveu: je ne suis pas particulièrement francophile pour un Québécois. Pas francophobe, bien sûr que non, mais pas francophile outre mesure. Mais ce que représente le tricolore, enfin son association avec le républicanisme, rien que pour ça, je l'aime bien.

A republican moment

There is one thing I share with Queen Elizabeth II: we have the same birthday. Except that I am much younger. It means that tomorrow she'll be 90 and I 39. It also means that people spoke about it all day at work today. This is maybe the only one thing I hate about England: the reverence they have for someone who was born with blood right and holds her power and wealth for no other reason than this, and her subject's subservience.  But to my great surprise, when I was on lunch today, I've heard from a colleague (one I don't know much) this amazing thing: "I think the monarchy had its days." I nearly clapped, I was so happy. She was saying this, matter-of-factly, to someone who was a staunch monarchist, so I nearly clapped. I did not want to start a controversy (I am good at that when it comes to take a bite at the queen, so to speak), but when the other started saying the usual weak argument that they are a return on investment because of tourism and prestige and so on, I said: "Then put them all into formol, and you would have the same result." I admit, this was borderline seditious and certainly lèse-majesté, but this made them laugh. Well, maybe not the royalists, but that is true: if a crowned head is so sound economically, they are basically crowned scarecrows. So I think it deserves to be a new great unknown line. In any case, it was part of a republican moment and I love living republican moments, especially here.

800 years of Magna Carta

In case you have not noticed it with Google Doodle, but the Magna Carta is 800 years old today. As I am a medievalist, I had to mention it on this blog. I cannot be trivial all the time. I am of two minds about the celebrations of the Magna Carta (about which I am no specialist, by the way, in case you wanted to ask me questions on the matter). I am glad history is remembered and celebrated, and it is always good that we remember such essential event. Heck, I was an academic in another time, I am happy academia itself has a bit of spotlight with this anniversary! And as a republican, I am also happy when a monarch is humiliated, so if only for this it deserves to be celebrated.

On the other hand, it is also an exercise of English self-flattery. Don't get me wrong, the Magna Carta is an important document for the history of this nation and the Western world. But it is absurd to imply, as I have heard by some commentators on the TV (or the telly as we call it here), that the UK has been a democracy and its people free for the last 800 years. I also find a downright aberration the English centrist view of history that has been displayed with the anniversary. It reminds the history seminars of my Master degree, when the teacher (English) had to explain to the British students that the end of the War of the Roses did not mark the end of the Middles Ages, contrary to what they have been told at school. Because in a wider European context, the War of the Roses was absolutely meaningless and did not change the time period. Yesterday, I heard a historian saying that other similar texts existed in other European kingdoms. So let's not forget this as well.

Le Tricolore et l'Union Jack

Photo prise lorsque le marché français était en ville. On le voit mal, mais il y a un drapeau français juste à côté de l'Union Jack. Et puis? Et puis rien. Ca me fait toujours plaisir de voir un drapeau républicain, pour ne pas dire un drapeau révolutionnaire, dans un pays qui est encore une monarchie. Avec l'église en arrière-plan, je trouve ça encore plus charmant, ça fait comme un pied de nez. Ni Dieu, ni maître et tout ça.

Le vice de la vice-reine

Je suis en retard un peu à bloguer sur la nouvelle deux jours après les faits, mais ça vaut la peine de bloguer à ce sujet: Lise Thibault a plaidé coupable à une partie des accusations de fraude. La vice-reine était escroc. Vous savez ce que je pense d'elle en tant que personne. La justice confirme maintenant que la lieutenant-gouverneure était d'abord et avant tout une escroc. Il y a quelque chose de profondément illégitime aux dépenses privées d'un monarque, quel qu'il ou elle soit, surtout quand il utilise les fonds publics. Quand le monarque n'en est pas un, ça en devient grotesque. "The queen can do no wrong", clamait la demeurée comme défense. Tu parles! Si la Reine n'avait rien à se reprocher, elle y renoncerait, à sa couronne. Mais la vice-reine, elle, portait une couronne imaginaire. Ce qui est le plus troublant, c'est que Lise Thibault se croit légitimement monarque. Lorsqu'on prononcera sa sentence, j'espère que l'on ne sera pas trop gentil parce qu'elle est en chaise roulante et qu'elle est âgée. Parce qu'une escroc demeure une escroc.

Les larmes de crocodile de Lise Thibault

Je suis l'actualité politique et judiciaire au Québec, tout expatrié que je suis. Et je suis avec intérêt le procès pour fraude de l'ex-gouverneure générale Lise Thibault, que j'exècre profondément. Je n'aime pas le poste de représentant de la Reine, moi qui suis profondément républicain et anti-monarchiste. Je l'aime encore moins quand quelqu'un abuse de sa position d'autorité pour passer à la caisse et essaie de légitimer ses passe-droits par une défense ridicule de la position et de l'institution qu'elle représente. Qui plus est, Lise Thibault est une catholique illuminée, qui a déjà dit qu'elle priait pour que ceux qui l'attaquaient n'aillent pas en enfer, ce que j'exècre peut-être encore plus. Une monarchiste enragée doublée d'une catholique délirante, profondément condescendante, vaniteuse, stupide, donc, qui passe en procès, ça me remplit d'une joie féroce. Lorsque j'ai appris qu'elle a éclaté en sanglots lors de son interrogatoire, j'ai été pris d'un mélange de colère et de plaisir. Si elle croyait émouvoir qui que ce soit, elle se trompe: elle ne fait que montrer ses larmes de crocodile. J'espère un peu qu'à travers le spectacle vulgaire et grotesque qu'elle fait, c'est toute la monarchie dont on fera le procès. Car elle en est la représentante la plus représentative. Enfin, on peut rêver. Au moins, elle se sera montrée telle qu'elle est.

Le Jour de la Bastille

Nous sommes le 14 juillet, fête nationale française, Jour de la Bastille. Célébrant le début de la fin pour la monarchie française et la genèse du républicanisme en Europe. Je sais, il y a eu des républiques avant la française, les rois sont revenus au pouvoir par après, mais le 14 juillet marque un point de non retour. Je souligne le 14 juillet comme une fête républicaine, donc, avant d'être une fête nationale. Alors pour souligner et commémorer cette année, j'ai téléchargé une scène du film/de la minisérie La Révolution française, qui dramatise ce point tournant de l'histoire.Elle est considérablement coupée, mais ça donne une idée.

The fallen crown of Spain

Anybody in the mood for a controversial post? I did not have time to blog about it, but I wanted to. As you probably know already, King Juan Carlos of Spain abdicated. Because of a number of controversies and scandals, all very minor in comparison to the real scandal of monarchy: its existence now. His abdication may be one more nail in the coffin of this anachronistic, backward institution. In Spain anyway, where republicanism is actually shared by an important portion of the population. Spain is not my favorite country, but these days I envy them, or at least what is happening, because there may be a momentum for the monarchy to fall there. And if this happens, this may influence some other kingdoms, say the United one, to question their own crowned heads, to question, maybe even challenge, said crowned heads' legitimacy to the power they own and their relevance in a democracy (answer: they have none whatsoever). You have guessed that I am a staunch republican. And I know that this is far from the end, that the crown of Spain fell on the old king to get on the head of a new one. Nevertheless, reading these sort of news always give me a furious joy.

The British Monarchy Explained (and why we need a republic)

You might already know that Queen Elizabeth was going to give more responsibilities (sic) to her son. I say responsibilities, yet in essence, the royals have none whatsoever, except some protocolary functions. It reminded me of why I am a republican. This bit of news is a good excuse as any to upload here a brilliant video I recently found on YouTube. It explains what is the British Monarchy and why it sucks to have it, and it debunks all the lazy arguments monarchists usually bring forward to justify the existence of this anachronistic and antidemocratic institution.

L'humeur séditieuse

C'est aujourd'hui le 14 juillet, Jour de la Bastille (j'utilise autre chose que Wikipedia comme lien, pour faire changement). C'est le jour national de la France, une collègue m'a informé d'une fête organisée par des Français expatriés pas trop loin (son mari connaît des organsiateurs), mais avec la chaleur qu'il fait je crois que je vais rester ici, même si je suis tenté. Je ne commémorais pas le 14 juillet jusqu'à relativement récemment (j'ai commencé à le faire vraiment en 2009). En tant que fête nationale, elle m'indiffère, car mes racines françaises datent un peu. Mais en tant que fête républicaine, elle me touche de près et prend à mon avis toute sa signification. Le 14 juillet me donne surtout l'humeur séditieuse. Alors je vais la commémorer d'une façon ou d'une autre aujourd'hui.

King George V and speedball

The things one learns sometimes. I was checking about speedball, which is the name of the cocaine and heroin mix, or cocaine and morphine, on Wikipedia. I then saw King George V among the list of famous people killed by it. I thought at first it was pure hogwash, something added by someone with a twisted sense of humour, or some urban legend that got through.It seems that it is in fact genuine: his doctor apparently did give him a mix of cocaine and morphine to treat his cancer, which may have hastened his death. Of course, in later slang terms, the mixture would be known as speedball. And, for the record, I know of the term from Eyes Wide Shut. Not from any personal experience.