Society

Thursday

A.N. Wilson

The Queen’s strength was that she did not change

Her task – did she ever quite realise it? – was to preside over a country in decline; and not merely to preside over it, but to be the nation’s anaesthetic, creating the illusion that the nightmare was not happening. When she was born, at 17 Bruton Street, by Caesarean section, on 21 April 1926, Britain commanded the mightiest, richest empire in the history of the world. By the time she died, Britain had ceased even to be what Gore Vidal once called it, an American aircraft-carrier. It was simply a muddle of a place, which had lost most of its manufacturing industrial wealth, all its political influence in the

Joan Collins

Memories of Princess Elizabeth

I am completely and utterly devastated by the passing of our wonderful, inspirational Queen, as I’m sure are so many in our fair isles. It is the end of the brilliant Elizabethan era. I was so proud to have been part of her last Jubilee. After being driven along the circuitous pageant route around London, I finished up seated in the Royal Box, waving at Her Majesty in what would prove to be her last appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, where she sparkled in emerald green. This brought back memories of May 1945, when we were all celebrating the end of the second world war. My father drove

The Spectator

The Queen’s act of Union

In death, as in life, Elizabeth II has been a unifying force for her country. For all the political rancour of recent years, this week has revealed a country at ease with itself. People of all political persuasions have come together to show their respect – in Scotland just as much as in England. It has been a reminder of what a force for good a monarch can be when he or she devotes their life to service. After the Queen’s coffin was transferred from Balmoral Castle to Holyroodhouse, up the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral, members of the public lined up to see it as it lay in

The Spectator

2570: Short story – solution

Arthur C. Clarke (31/45) said that Ernest Hemingway (35/12) won a bet from fellow writers for the shortest story: FOR SALE. BABY SHOES. NEVER WORN. (30/14/15). First prize Nicholas Grandage, London W11 Runners-up Magdalena Deptula, Eton, Berkshire; R.P. Wright, Loughton, Essex

Lucy Vickery

Spectator competition winners: Philip Larkin’s poems rewritten by other poets

In Competition No. 3266, you were invited to reimagine one of Philip Larkin’s poems in the style of a poet of your choice. This challenge was a nod to the centenary last month of the poet’s birth, the response to which – though the Philip Larkin Society was upbeat: ‘so much is happening!’ – seemed somewhat muted. So the enthusiastic response to this invitation was heartening. Congratulations and commiserations to unlucky losers Terry Parsons, Kit Wittering, Paul Freeman, Ann Drysdale, Atar Hadari and Joshua Kulseth. The winning entries earn their authors £30. Leading the way is Bill Greenwell’s John Betjeman, who described his friend Larkin as ‘tenderly observant’. I am

Luke McShane

No. 720

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Edith Baird, for The Chess Amateur, 1923. Answers should be emailed by Tuesday 20 September to chess@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Qxe6+! fxe6 2 Bg6 mate Last week’s winner Adam Havercroft, Rayleigh, Essex

Luke McShane

Pique or cheat?

In the third round of the Sinquefield Cup in St Louis, Magnus Carlsen was beaten by 19-year old Hans Niemann, the lowest seeded player in the event. The result was surprising, particularly since Niemann played Black, but certainly not inconceivable. The next day, Carlsen announced his withdrawal from the tournament on Twitter, appending a short clip of José Mourinho saying: ‘If I speak I am in big trouble.’ It was widely taken to mean that Carlsen suspected foul play, but was wary of making a direct accusation. So far, he has made no further statement, leaving pundits to fill in the gaps. But the patchwork of evidence remains threadbare. In

Toby Young Toby Young

What Charles shouldn’t do

One of the most regrettable trends of the past few decades is the creep of politics into every aspect of our public life. Institutions tasked with preserving our heritage, such as Tate Britain, Kew Gardens and the National Trust, are busy holding themselves to account for their historic links to slavery and colonialism, while the police, the civil service and the Church of England have embraced the mantra of equity, diversity and inclusion. The people in charge of these organisations – liberal, urban, highly educated – don’t think of these values as politically contentious, while those of us who don’t fall into those categories – probably the majority of the

Susanna Gross

Bridge | 17 September 2022

It’s tough trying to recall every card that the opponents have played when you’re in the middle of a tricky contract. It reminds me of that old game show hosted by Bruce Forsyth – The Generation Game – where the winning contestant sat at a conveyor belt and watched prizes go past. They then had 20 seconds to remember – and take home – as many as they could: ‘Fondue set!… Clock!… Cuddly toy!…’. No one managed them all. So too with cards: after a few have gone past, they can become a bit of a blur. Not at the highest level, of course; it’s one of the things that

Wednesday

Charles Moore Charles Moore

The Grenadier Guards’ final duty for Queen Elizabeth

‘So it is come at last, the distinguished thing!’ exclaimed Henry James on his deathbed. Such a thought is reflected in funerals – always more powerful than a memorial service or ‘celebration’ – because the person’s body is present. When it comes at last to Elizabeth II on Monday, it will be the most distinguished of all the ceremonies. The Household Division is in charge. It is always and only the Grenadier Guards who make up the bearer party. By then, all serving Guards officers will have stood watch over the coffin for the lying-in-state. The Guards are so called because they must guard the Sovereign in life. Their last,

Richard Chartres

The Queen’s life was anchored by Christianity

King Charles III began his first speech as monarch by recalling the pledge made by his mother on her 21st birthday in 1947. Speaking from Cape Town on the occasion of her 21st birthday, Princess Elizabeth declared ‘before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family’. She ended by saying: ‘God help me to make good my vow and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.’ We know now that the Queen was given a long life during which the world, as it was when she was

Henry Hitchings

Robert Harris’s gripping Act of Oblivion is let down by anachronisms

When Charles II became king of England in 1660, he pardoned most of those who’d committed crimes during the civil war and Commonwealth. The Act of Indemnity and Oblivion, from which Robert Harris’s propulsive new novel takes its title, promised to wipe the slate clean and ‘bury all seeds of future discords’. But the monarch, generally tolerant, made an exception of the 59 men who, 11 years earlier, had signed his father Charles I’s death warrant. Act of Oblivion opens on a drowsy midsummer day as two of those 59, having fled across the Atlantic, arrive in Boston. One is Oliver Cromwell’s cousin, Edward Whalley, and the other Whalley’s son-in-law,

Matthew Lynn

Center Parcs’s royal blunder

Whacking up the price of black ties given the extra demand. Running advertising campaigns for cut price comfort food to get the nation through a painful few days. Or putting your zero hours workers on call for the whole of Monday just in case they are needed, while rushing out a quick line of over-priced memorabilia to sell along the streets of London. There were probably worse ways for companies to mark the passing of the Queen. Even so, the decision by Center Parcs, the family friendly chain of resorts, to kick everyone out for the day of the funeral must be one of the crassest imaginable.  The decision by Center

Patrick O’Flynn Patrick O'Flynn

The sorry state of republicanism

As republican protestors seek to disrupt the handing on of the title of head of state from one royal to another, we should appreciate that it is an obsolete system in the modern world. Not the monarchy, of course: it only takes one look at the mass outpouring of grief for the late Queen and the goodwill towards the new King displayed by all mainstream political leaders to realise that is in rude health. But republicanism. Imagine for a moment that a new British republic is about to be born. The presidential election has reached its final round of voting. Jeremy Corbyn and Nigel Farage have been edged out in previous

Monday

Gareth Roberts Gareth Roberts

David Bowie was not authentic

The death of the Queen has led to a host of peculiar postponements. Perhaps the strangest was the announcement that the launch of ‘Bowie On The Blockchain’, a sale of NFT artworks inspired by the deceased pop star, has been delayed ‘out of respect for the people of the UK and Queen Elizabeth II’. It’s hard to picture anybody particularly noticing or caring about this strange event at the best of times, harder still to imagine British people shaking their heads and tutting if it had gone ahead on schedule: ‘Dashed bad show, Bowie estate selling non-fungible tokens, and Her Majesty not even in her grave’. But there is a

Kelvin MacKenzie

Who’s afraid of firing Trevor Sinclair?

Trevor Sinclair is in trouble again. The former England footballer, who is now a pundit for TalkSport, has been taken off air for saying ‘black and brown’ people should not mourn the Queen’s death. ‘Racism was outlawed in England in the 60’s and it’s been allowed to thrive so why should black and brown mourn!!,’ he wrote.  Sinclair has since apologised. If, as seems likely, his career survives this latest scrape, it won’t be the first time he has dodged a bullet. Back in 2018, Sinclair pleaded guilty to racially abusing a police officer who arrested him for drink driving. Among other things, he referred to the officer as a ‘white c**t.’ Sinclair was sentenced

Brendan O’Neill Brendan O’Neill

Police should leave anti-monarchist protesters alone

No one should ever be arrested for what they think or say. It is remarkable – and depressing – that this still needs to be said in the 21st century. But it seems it does. Over the weekend we witnessed an alarming, almost medieval act of censorship. A woman was dragged away by cops for holding up a sign that said ‘Abolish the monarchy’. It was an intolerable assault on freedom of speech. The woman in question was standing outside St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, which was awaiting the arrival of the Queen’s coffin. Mournful crowds had gathered. But this woman wasn’t in the mood for mourning. She was in

Sunday

Aidan Hartley

How Kenya viewed the Queen

As the Union Jack was run down the flagpole at Kenya’s independence in December 1963, Prince Philip said to Jomo Kenyatta, ‘Are you sure about this? It’s not too late to change your mind.’ Our founding president let that gaffe pass, which was quite amazing only a few years after the British suppression of the Mau Mau insurgency, in which Kenyatta had himself been interned. To the astonishment of local Britons spooked by the recent treatment of Belgians evacuating the Congo, rather than exacting revenge Kenyatta offered reconciliation, urging families like my own to stay. ‘There is no society of angels, black, brown or white,’ he told an audience of

Christian Wolmar

The Queen’s final journey should have been by train

The Queen loved the royal train. The Royal yacht was a luxury that was more for show than convenience but the train was a unique way for her to travel in comfort and without the hassle of flying. Modestly fitted out in a seventies vinyl panelled style with little extra decor, the Royal Train suited her unfussy taste and was easily accessible for her at Windsor. Therefore it was no surprise that the plan for a final rail journey had long been part of the London Bridge operation if she passed away in Scotland. It was envisaged that the Royal Train, which incidentally was not owned by the Queen but