Although I found it slightly hypocritical of our school, and our headmaster, to talk of City as a place that does not care where you have come from but where you are going, and to then invite Princess Anne, I enjoyed the Royal Visit thoroughly. City of London is a school with a long and amazing history. As I commented to one of my friends this year, the foundations of this school are older than the American Constitution.
I think that we underestimate our history; Britain was once a global superpower and the Monarchy is a symbol of our influence. I feel it would be difficult to imagine a Britain without the Queen, Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guard, and the occasional Royal Wedding. I may not be able to explain what is so appealing about the Queen and the Monarchy; maybe it is the beautiful clothes and immaculate jewels, maybe it is the grand lunches and exquisite teas (that we may have a glimpse of if we tea at the Savoy), or maybe it is the pure class of the Monarchy that many of the rich of today do not have. There used to be a time when it was required to where a suit and tie to go into the Ritz, but now if you are rich enough you can do the same in a matching Hollister tracksuit. Whichever reason it is for you, it is impossible to deny that the Monarchy is a global brand; estimates say 2 billion people watched the Royal Wedding.
The other undeniable thing is that no matter what we think, Royalty bring prestige and interest wherever they go. And if the Royal Visit improves the PR of our school or ensures more scholarships from the many benefactors of the school (who also attended), then that is definitely a price that those at our school who disagree with her visit should be happy to pay. It is naïve and foolish to say we must take the ‘moral high ground’ and reject her entirely for being born into a title. Surely that is discrimination, and maybe we should be looking at what she is doing rather than where she is from. I simply cite that she is a great fundraiser for charity and has also won a Gold medal at the European Championships. Even a few of the athletes who were welcomed last week cannot boast that.
The other undeniable thing is that no matter what we think, Royalty bring prestige and interest wherever they go. And if the Royal Visit improves the PR of our school or ensures more scholarships from the many benefactors of the school (who also attended), then that is definitely a price that those at our school who disagree with her visit should be happy to pay. It is naïve and foolish to say we must take the ‘moral high ground’ and reject her entirely for being born into a title. Surely that is discrimination, and maybe we should be looking at what she is doing rather than where she is from. I simply cite that she is a great fundraiser for charity and has also won a Gold medal at the European Championships. Even a few of the athletes who were welcomed last week cannot boast that.
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