Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging thinktanker, aspiring novelist, "tribal elder", 2019 parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, "Speedboat", "The Cockroach", eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Merit and Honour
The death of Lucian Freud creates vacancies both for a member of the Order of Merit and for a Companion of Honour. Whom should Her Majesty, in whose personal gift they both are, appoint? And why?
In 1906, Edward VII gave it to two Japanese princes, one a sometime Prime Minister, who had founded the Imperial Army and to Admiral Togo, "the Nelson of the East", who was also a GCVO, another one in the monarch's personal gift. No wonder America was so jealous that it blew the Anglo-Japanese alliance apart in 1922. We all know what happened next.
It cannot be Rupert Murdoch, who long ago renounced his allegiance to the Crown. The Lord Lindsay of Lanchester, OM, CH? I don't know how it hasn't happened already.
Someone from St. Helena.
ReplyDeleteIn 1906, Edward VII gave it to two Japanese princes, one a sometime Prime Minister, who had founded the Imperial Army and to Admiral Togo, "the Nelson of the East", who was also a GCVO, another one in the monarch's personal gift. No wonder America was so jealous that it blew the Anglo-Japanese alliance apart in 1922. We all know what happened next.
ReplyDeleteIt cannot be Rupert Murdoch, who long ago renounced his allegiance to the Crown. The Lord Lindsay of Lanchester, OM, CH? I don't know how it hasn't happened already.
ReplyDeleteI know, I know. Honestly, Lilibet, what do I have to do?
ReplyDeleteShe cannot have hated Freud's portrait of her as much as some people did, can she?