Queen Elizabeth visited Virginia today!

[Sarapva]

The Queen of England and Prince Phillip visited Virginia today, first going to the capitol, Richmond, then to Jamestown for its 400th anniversary. She was last in Jamestown at its 350th anniversary in 1957. Jamestown is one of the oldest places in the U.S. where a lot of English settlers landed in the 1600s.

I saw on the news that there were a lot of preparations for the Queen and Prince Phillip in Richmond, where they visited the state capitol building and gave a talk. People had started arriving early in the morning to see the Queen, even though her visit wasn't until the afternoon. There was even a lottery where people could get places up close! Roads were closed and it looked like there were hundreds of people there!

 

[made of stone]

Lucky Queen Elizabeth, another all-expenses-paid trip to somewhere i'd like to visit! I think i'm in the wrong line of work, lol.

On a more serious note, I'm glad to hear that the Queen expressed her (and thus, our) sadness at the events at Virginia Tech recently.

Sarapva, I know you have family and strong links in Kent, did you know that Radio Kent will be broadcasting from Virginia sometime soon? Again, it's for the anniversary of Jamestown being settled, I think. It may be worth a listen for you if they broadcast it locally too - I should think they'd be interested in having you on the show, too!

Back to the Queen - I read there was a bit of a mix-up with the red carpet when she arrived. I'm not sure if that counts as as big of a gaffe of when Ronnie Reagan served the Royal couple cups of tea with the bags still in?!

Also, this is the first Royal trip that is supposed to be carbon-offset, perhaps through the planting of trees. It would have been an easier aim to accomplish if they hadn't chosen a 777 to fly just 47 people, imo

 

[yukio_michael]

I've been to England 11 times and only once saw Buckingham Palace, the first time, I think it was in a cab ride to Tottenham Court road... Everyone was pressed against the gates looking at the building... I guess I don't find much interest in Royalty... inbreeders, all of them.

 

[made of stone]

I've been to England 11 times and only once saw Buckingham Palace, the first time, I think it was in a cab ride to Tottenham Court road... Everyone was pressed against the gates looking at the building... I guess I don't find much interest in Royalty... inbreeders, all of them.

It's a shame you haven't ever taken a walk around that area, yukio_michael - St James' Park just nearby is one of the loveliest and most beautiful places in London at the right time of year. And there are many fine places to walk to pretty quickly, and some fascinating stuff to see if you appreciate history or just plain incredible architecture.

Ha, your inbreeding comment made me chuckle, but that isn't the preserve of monarchical systems alone - how about the plutocracy of the US?!!

 

[Sarapva]

Sarapva, I know you have family and strong links in Kent, did you know that Radio Kent will be broadcasting from Virginia sometime soon? Again, it's for the anniversary of Jamestown being settled, I think. It may be worth a listen for you if they broadcast it locally too - I should think they'd be interested in having you on the show, too!

I hadn't heard that about Kent Radio - it would probably be on our public broadcast radio station (one that Crusty listens to!!). I'll listen for the broadcast from Jamestown. I hadn't heard about the red carpet for the queen - I'll have to find some English news to hear about that, I think! (The news here is usually more serious)

I remember going to Buckingham Palace so many years ago when I was a kid, and seeing the changing of the guards. St. Paul's Cathedral is another interesting place - I think that's the one where supposedly you can whisper into the wall and the whisper is taken around the whole circle? (Or maybe I was just being teased at the time!). The queen also visited the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where there's a building in honor of Christopher Wren, the man who designed St. Paul's Cathedral (if I have that right).

 

[Mycernius]

I heard about the Queen visiting Jamestown for its 400 aniversary. Founded in 1607, it was the first British Colony settled in America. King James charter said it was to prevent the Spanish and French from settling in North America. I guess it kinda worked. Radio 4 did a brief article about it. They have recently found the old fort that was thought to be washed away, but it seems that most Americans associate the Mayflower and Plymouth Rock with the first British settlement. Jamestown was pushed into the background. An American professor thinks it was due to the side that Jamestown was on during the Civil war (The South) and the bad connections with slavery hence prefering The Pilgrims and the Mayflower. Personaly I don't know how early American History is taught in schools, so I don't know what Americans are taught.

 

[yukio_michael]

It's a shame you haven't ever taken a walk around that area, yukio_michael - St James' Park just nearby is one of the loveliest and most beautiful places in London at the right time of year. And there are many fine places to walk to pretty quickly, and some fascinating stuff to see if you appreciate history or just plain incredible architecture.

Oh, I loved St Jame's Park... it's beautiful... I love Hyde Park... I do believe Percy Bysche Shelly drowned himself there... I've been all over England, seen many places, just not fond of Royalty...

As far as plutocracy... I think we find that the wealthy always control the government.

 

[Sarapva]

As far as plutocracy... I think we find that the wealthy always control the government.

Unfortunately, this seems to be true ...

Mycernius - What I was taught in school is vague in my memory now, but I do remember Plymouth Rock was made a big deal of. Living in Virginia though, I was taken as a kid to Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg and different parks around the state where battles during the Civil War were fought. My knowledge of history isn't strong though - I remember being bored to tears going to all these historical places!