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02 February 2011 6:15 PM
Long live the European republic: Prince Charles bows to the European Union
There would be no shame in it if he were directed to Brussels by the Government, but it appears the Prince of Wales is coming here next Wednesday because he wants to. He is going to appear before a joint meeting of European Commission committees dealing with the environment, the internal market, energy and the like.
So, shame on him. It was bad enough last time, in 2008, when he stood in front of the European Parliament and pleaded for the EU to take the lead in climate change: 'Determined and principled leadership has never been more needed. Surely, this is just the moment in history for which the European Union was created?'
The heir to the throne might try speaking to the parliament at Westminister if he wants 'principled leadership.' Speaking at Strasbourg and calling for the EU to take more powers is just witless: the parliament is enemy territory for Britain's constitutional monarchy -- not least because it is enemy territory for Britain's constitution.
Prince Charles sucking up to the EU institutions is as humiliating as the moment Louis XVI -- yes, him again -- put on the 'bonnet rouge' of the revolutionaries to try to placate the mob. Note to Prince Charles: it didn't work. It merely stripped away the last vestige of royal aura. After that, Louis was just Citizen Capet and the mob knew it.
Mind you, if Prince Charles thinks he is going to get all smiles at the commission meeting, he's wrong there.
UKIP members of the European parliament are going to be at the meeting. Any words of support or further plea for 'leadership' by the Prince of Wales are bound to be met by stony silence from the group of British politicians who in other circumstances would be his greatest supporters.
The leader of UKIP, Nigel Farage, has already written to the Prince to remind him that support for the EU institutions is a contentious political issue and the heir to the throne ought to avoid it. More, he wrote, 'It is also evident that Your Royal Highness intends to support the European Union's contentious and controversial policies on Global Warming.'
'Whilst it is perfectly right and proper that Your Royal Highness should take an interest in such matters, I cannot believe it is wise for you to be seen as partial to one side of the argument or another.'
'I must, therefore, respectfully ask that Your Royal Highness carefully avoids saying or doing anything next week which calls into question the Crown's vital neutrality on these vexed and partisan issues. Rather one might hope for a robust affirmation of a believe in the full legal and political sovereignty of the United Kingdom.'
Farage can keep on hoping. But the Prince of Wales seems determined to encourage the EU to degrade him into mere EU-Citizen Windsor. Next week we'll hear no support for the sovereignty of Britain from the sovereign's son.
I know how this story ends.
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Charles is nice but dim. If he bought into AGW and ACC then he probably thinks the EU is spiffing or whizz-bang. He should save the aviation fuel and stay home. There is no hope for this country - the Windsors have killed it. If you hark back to the Review of the FDleet at Spithead in 1953 we had the greatest naval force on earth. We had the Commonwealth and we were a whole people at peace with ourselves. The House of Windsor may as well have been the House of Usher as the Queen is guilty of dereliction of duty and has broken her Coronation Oath to Govern My People according to THEIR LAWS AND CUSTOMS - once I was a Monarchist - no more.
Posted by: Peter | 02/02/2011 at 07:16 PM
Can I be the first - and possibly the only reader - to raise a glass to the Prince as he ventures over the water. He may not be quite so 'bonny' as the original, but I'm getting to like the man...
Posted by: Tom | 02/02/2011 at 06:57 PM