Diary – 1 December 2007

It has been a monarchical week — despite the election of a republican in Australia. I don’t just mean the Queen’s wedding anniversary, Ugandan tour, and the unveiling of the BBC’s famous TV series (of which more later). No, I’m thinking of the blossoming of the world’s more traditional monarchies — by which I mean the new hereditary-Leninist absolutist thrones that have sprung up around the world. The dynasty of President Assad the Second of Syria has received the boost of sending a delegation to America’s Annapolis conference. Azerbaijan’s President Aliev the Second and Congo’s Kabila the Second remain western favourites. Now in North Korea, the Stalinist god-king Kim (Jong-Il) the Second announces the promotion of his son, Kim Jong-Chul, 27, to dauphin. Pyongyang may be the first of these dynasties to reach the third generation. Let a thousand monarchies bloom.

Even democracies are considering restoration. In Georgia, where I spend much time, the democratically elected pro-western President Mikhail Saakashvili has been beleaguered by a riotous opposition which proposes creating a constitutional monarchy under the Bagrationi dynasty, with a Spanish racing driver, Prince ‘Jorge’ Bagrationi, as king. The family ruled Georgia for a thousand years, under titans such as Queen Tamara, Kings David the Builder, George the Brilliant and Hercules II — but lost their last throne in 1810. Since everything in Georgia is exuberantly flamboyant, restoration would be disastrously zany. The well-intentioned if impetuous Saakashvili should be allowed to complete his newly called elections and reforms — particularly since his opening of Georgian archives revealed an Aladdin’s Cave of exciting new material on young Stalin. I can never resist Ruritanian intrigue: I was once charged with the task of offering the Estonian throne to Prince Edward. Feeling like a Dumas Musketeer on a mission, I did so, but he turned it down…

The BBC is now screening its triumphant series The Monarchy: the Royal Family at Work.