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Here we see an illustration of something we have been warning about for years. Never stand between republicans and royalty – even minor European royalty; otherwise you will be knocked over in the rush.
In the video we see the London-based expatriates Queen's Counsel Geoffrey Robertson and his wife Kathy Lette. “Passionate “republicans, they nevertheless accepted an invitation to come to Buckingham Palace to meet The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh before The Queen comes to Australia.
As respected columnist – and devout republican – Gerard Henderson points out in The Sydney Morning Herald (18/10) the two don’t have much time for the monarchy. (Dr Henderson also doesn’t like my reference to Australia already being a republic – a “crowned republic”. I am greatly encouraged.)
…republic in retreat….
Dr Henderson writes:
“Writing in The Sunday Age on April 17, Lette commented: ‘Mention 'the Queen' to most Australians and they presume you're talking about Elton John." She concluded by declaring, "it's time Australia had a Windsor-ectomy.’ Get it?
“In The Canberra Times on April 27, Robertson referred to’the absurdity of the constitutional arrangements which require Britain to be reigned over by a White Anglo-German Protestant monarch’ – whom he described as belonging to ‘this German family’. He also wrote that ‘the bedrock of Britain's constitution is the Act of Settlement of 1701, a blood-curdling anti-Catholic rant, which enshrines the genes and Protestant religious beliefs of Princess Sophia of Hanover in the succession to the throne’.
“Needless to say, there were no reports of any republican-inspired references to Windsor-ectomies or to German families when Lette and Robertson rocked up to the palace on Friday. Rather it was a case of ‘How frightfully pleased to meet you’ and ‘Yes ma'am’….
“There is little doubt that the republican cause is in retreat in Australia.”
… après la comédie….
After an attempt at comedy, Ms Lette demonstrates in this video that she has little understanding of our constitutional system. She actually believes that The Queen can dismiss the Prime Minister, which indicates that she has not read The Cane Toad Republic.
It was made very clear in 1975 by the Palace that the power to commission the prime minister and to remove him or her is vested by the 1900 Constitution in the Governor-Genera and not in The Queen.
Ms Lette argues that the British will have no regard for us until we remove the monarchy. But the regard she receives in London is unlikely to have anything to do with her being Australian.
Having accepted the hospitality of The Queen, Ms. Lette finalises the interview with a list of personal and defamatory attacks on various members of the Royal Family.
If there is another referendum, ACM should commission her to produce an advertisement. It would attract as many votes to the constitutional monarchist as the 1999 republican one with Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser did.