physics and metaphysics of majesty
Your old Aunt doesn't just know about how these newfangled lantern slide thingies work on the interweb. Being of an age there's also the matters of etiquette and protocol. These require that now you are here, bored or not with photographs of ginkgos and overuse of the word majestical, you will sit down, shut up and hang on. You might as well at least try to enjoy the ride. You might get a mention in her Will.
Pourquoi Dieu et mon droit? Because the sceptred isle, despite its snobbery and aversion to European clubs, is a contrived mash-up of all who came, saw and conquered — including the just as arrogant Normans; and vice-versa because the English nicked bits of France. There was a lot of it about. Indeed, the noun majesty was first appropriated by a low country despot to differentiate himself from all other despots. It stuck, and from it the adverb majestical has arisen.
Like the Universe and the Big Bang, majesty appears to have, well, just appeared. It might seem as at the apex of things it must be unitary, indivisible — a quantum of greatness. The quantum world is vague; mysterious. It spawns confusion. Niels Bohr may have said "If you can fathom quantum mechanics without getting dizzy, you don't get it" or Richard Feynman might have uttered "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, then you don't". Majesty is like that. Except maybe when it relates to ginkgos.
Take this example. His Majesty, King George VI, was the father of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Betty) Windsor who planted this fine ginkgo in 2009 to commemorate the sestercentennial of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. When Betty's grandfather died, his majesty was inherited by her uncle David — Edward VIII. He was unmarried so he collected up all his father's majesty and didn't have to share it. That is, until the Archbishop of York caused such a fuss about David's girlfriend that he took off, leaving the job vacant. Aside: it was all a preordained conspiracy — the telegram I found in my bottom drawer, from London to Melbourne advising not to do certain things with Edward VIII's effigy was sent before he abdicated. Relax, that document is now safely in a public archive!
Right, so Edward VIII gave his full quantum of majesty to little bro' George — Betty's father. But Queen Mary, Betty's grandma kept her majesty until she died in 1953. Somehow, from somewhere, another majesty was found for Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon — George VI's consort. Thus, irregularly, there was an unpaired bit of majesty about.
Weird things happen in the quantum world. The young Betty, by dint of the curiously named Act of Settlement stood next to inherit her father's majesty. After she married Phil the Greek, her third cousin, Betty packed a black frock and went on a jolly to Kenya. Inconveniently, while on her holiday, Daddy died. Somehow, even though the Michelson-Morely Experiment pretty much dismantled the aether, his majesty departed Sandringham and simultaneously arrived at the Treetops Hotel in the wilds of Kenya. Remarkably, and possibly a first, there were now three packets of majesty in the possession of three women simultaneously: Mary, Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Elizabeth II all holding the title of Her Majesty. Now, I'm not saying these things are sexist — actually I am — but they couldn't find any majesty for Phil, despite being the consort of the Monarch. It's something to do with the curiosity of a Queen reigning a Kingdom and not having her in the shadow of some pushy bloke, even if he wasn't (pushy).
All things must pass. And so did Queen Mary, and in time Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. I should introduce the Remembrancer. Their role is to, err, remember stuff. Stuff like is this person a descendent of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and where did I put that packet of majesty (not actually his role, it just sounds cool)? Here we go again! When Betty Windsor died, the majesty didn't have so far to go to get to Charles. But the Queen's Remembrancer instantly disappeared as the Monarch became a King. In that instant was the King's Remembrancer left scrabbling about for that packet of unused majesty? Actually, he had a while. Betty had said, out loud, that she'd quite like Milly to be the Queen Consort, a lesser title. Ah, but it's good to be the King, so a couple of days passed following Betty's death before Charles fixed up the paperwork to have Milly's Styles and Titles doctored up; thereby giving the Remembrancer time to get used to his new name and find where they'd stashed the packet of majesty.
That just leaves one quantum of majesty left from the trio assigned to Mary and the two Elizabeths. With one spare I hereby declare that from this day forth it is available for the exclusive use of all ginkgos.
physics and metaphysics of majesty
Your old Aunt doesn't just know about how these newfangled lantern slide thingies work on the interweb. Being of an age there's also the matters of etiquette and protocol. These require that now you are here, bored or not with photographs of ginkgos and overuse of the word majestical, you will sit down, shut up and hang on. You might as well at least try to enjoy the ride. You might get a mention in her Will.
Pourquoi Dieu et mon droit? Because the sceptred isle, despite its snobbery and aversion to European clubs, is a contrived mash-up of all who came, saw and conquered — including the just as arrogant Normans; and vice-versa because the English nicked bits of France. There was a lot of it about. Indeed, the noun majesty was first appropriated by a low country despot to differentiate himself from all other despots. It stuck, and from it the adverb majestical has arisen.
Like the Universe and the Big Bang, majesty appears to have, well, just appeared. It might seem as at the apex of things it must be unitary, indivisible — a quantum of greatness. The quantum world is vague; mysterious. It spawns confusion. Niels Bohr may have said "If you can fathom quantum mechanics without getting dizzy, you don't get it" or Richard Feynman might have uttered "If you think you understand quantum mechanics, then you don't". Majesty is like that. Except maybe when it relates to ginkgos.
Take this example. His Majesty, King George VI, was the father of Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (Betty) Windsor who planted this fine ginkgo in 2009 to commemorate the sestercentennial of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew. When Betty's grandfather died, his majesty was inherited by her uncle David — Edward VIII. He was unmarried so he collected up all his father's majesty and didn't have to share it. That is, until the Archbishop of York caused such a fuss about David's girlfriend that he took off, leaving the job vacant. Aside: it was all a preordained conspiracy — the telegram I found in my bottom drawer, from London to Melbourne advising not to do certain things with Edward VIII's effigy was sent before he abdicated. Relax, that document is now safely in a public archive!
Right, so Edward VIII gave his full quantum of majesty to little bro' George — Betty's father. But Queen Mary, Betty's grandma kept her majesty until she died in 1953. Somehow, from somewhere, another majesty was found for Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon — George VI's consort. Thus, irregularly, there was an unpaired bit of majesty about.
Weird things happen in the quantum world. The young Betty, by dint of the curiously named Act of Settlement stood next to inherit her father's majesty. After she married Phil the Greek, her third cousin, Betty packed a black frock and went on a jolly to Kenya. Inconveniently, while on her holiday, Daddy died. Somehow, even though the Michelson-Morely Experiment pretty much dismantled the aether, his majesty departed Sandringham and simultaneously arrived at the Treetops Hotel in the wilds of Kenya. Remarkably, and possibly a first, there were now three packets of majesty in the possession of three women simultaneously: Mary, Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Elizabeth II all holding the title of Her Majesty. Now, I'm not saying these things are sexist — actually I am — but they couldn't find any majesty for Phil, despite being the consort of the Monarch. It's something to do with the curiosity of a Queen reigning a Kingdom and not having her in the shadow of some pushy bloke, even if he wasn't (pushy).
All things must pass. And so did Queen Mary, and in time Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. I should introduce the Remembrancer. Their role is to, err, remember stuff. Stuff like is this person a descendent of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, and where did I put that packet of majesty (not actually his role, it just sounds cool)? Here we go again! When Betty Windsor died, the majesty didn't have so far to go to get to Charles. But the Queen's Remembrancer instantly disappeared as the Monarch became a King. In that instant was the King's Remembrancer left scrabbling about for that packet of unused majesty? Actually, he had a while. Betty had said, out loud, that she'd quite like Milly to be the Queen Consort, a lesser title. Ah, but it's good to be the King, so a couple of days passed following Betty's death before Charles fixed up the paperwork to have Milly's Styles and Titles doctored up; thereby giving the Remembrancer time to get used to his new name and find where they'd stashed the packet of majesty.
That just leaves one quantum of majesty left from the trio assigned to Mary and the two Elizabeths. With one spare I hereby declare that from this day forth it is available for the exclusive use of all ginkgos.