The Scottish Rising

The same insensitivity was shown when the Queen visited New Zealand. She read a Queen’s Speech to the New Zealand Parliament in which she referred to herself as Queen of England as well as New Zealand. As New Zealand is populated almost exclusively by Scotsmen and sheep, this did not go down well at all, especially, I imagine, in Dunedin. Nobody blamed the Queen for it is well known that in delivering a speech to any Parliament, the Queen reads the words put into her hand. But somebody blundered in a crass way.

There were plenty of warning signs if they had been noticed. The affair of the Coronation Stone was one. As an example of the higher skulduggery, this exploit has few equals and no superior. (The full story has never been told in print.) The outraged Establishment waited for the notabilities of Scotland to condemn the felonious act. They had some reason to expect a favorable response, for the Scottish aristocracy were nearly all educated in English public schools or in Scottish public schools, which are pretty thoroughly anglicized, but they were disappointed. They were answered by a thunderous silence or a muted raspberry. The most unexpected people let it be known that they were highly gratified to think that the spirit of the Border reavers and the raiding Highland chiefs was still alive. After all, stealing things from England has always counted for merit in Scotland. Now, to rub fresh salt in the old wound, Ian Hamilton, the leader of the foray, has publicly returned his passport to express his solidarity with Ian Smith and the white Rhodesians.

CB

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Colm Brogan

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The same insensitivity was shown when the Queen visited New Zealand. She read a Queen’s Speech to the New Zealand Parliament in which she referred to herself as Queen of England as well as New Zealand. As New Zealand is populated almost exclusively by Scotsmen and sheep, this did not go down well at all, especially, I imagine, in Dunedin. Nobody blamed the Queen for it is well known that in delivering a speech to any Parliament, the Queen reads the words put into her hand. But somebody blundered in a crass way.

There were plenty of warning signs if they had been noticed. The affair of the Coronation Stone was one. As an example of the higher skulduggery, this exploit has few equals and no superior. (The full story has never been told in print.) The outraged Establishment waited for the notabilities of Scotland to condemn the felonious act. They had some reason to expect a favorable response, for the Scottish aristocracy were nearly all educated in English public schools or in Scottish public schools, which are pretty thoroughly anglicized, but they were disappointed. They were answered by a thunderous silence or a muted raspberry. The most unexpected people let it be known that they were highly gratified to think that the spirit of the Border reavers and the raiding Highland chiefs was still alive. After all, stealing things from England has always counted for merit in Scotland. Now, to rub fresh salt in the old wound, Ian Hamilton, the leader of the foray, has publicly returned his passport to express his solidarity with Ian Smith and the white Rhodesians.