It's been a while since I started a daily thread, no one better beat me to it.

Today is a national holiday in my country a lovely tradition called "queen's day", it sounds better in Dutch and this isn't about anything LGBT unfortunately. Nope, this is our former queen's birthday and the whole country gets to share the joy. When her daughter became queen she did not change the day to her own birthday because she has her birthday in the middle of the winter, and in the Netherlands that means she would have to walk through cold rain. Anyway, today the weather is good and our royal family is parading around waving to the kids and grandmas, it lovely really. I support our monarchy, it is like a piece of history, mostly symbolic, but a nice billboard for our country, and a nice source of gossip, heh.

So my question for those kitties who live in monarchies, but not necessarily just for them: who is or are your favourite monarch(s), dead or alive? I don't think you have to even support the idea of a monarchy to stil be able to admire some of them. For me recently I have come to respect Queen Noor of Jordania and her step son and daughter in law King and Queen Abdullah and Rania Hoessein (oh this thread is not meant to get political, so I won't get into the why, heh). And I used to really admire lady Diana, shoot me, but she really was a princess more than anyone born with a title they didn't earn. Ah and would Willow and Tara agree with me? Of course they would.

Anyway, I love our monarchy especially if it gives me a free day. So happy 94th birthday to our princess Juliana, she may be a bit forgetful but we haven't forgotten to celebrate it for her .

A royal topic, G! Right up my alley. Im a monarchist at heart and wouldnt trade it for anything else. Its all symbolic to a great extend of course but tradition is not a bad thing. And about this not being a GLBT-related thing; well, Queens Day draws as much, if not more, gays to the streets and premises where all the parties are than most gay-events (guess where Im going in a little while ) and the atmosphere is always fantastic. Favorite Royal House? Dont really have one, I like royalty, period. Its about the glamour I guess. Leve de Koningin!

Oh I am watching them on TV now (sorry for non Dutch kitties who are unable to view this, but this is the daily thread so heh, I can blab), I love the way princess Margriet manages to become more beautiful with every passing year, always wears the perfect outfit and her sister the queen always looks so stuffy, same goes for princess Maxima, she is beginning to look like a bit of a queen Beatrix clone wardrobe-wise.
This is again a very Dutch queen's day, it cannot get any cheesier, and cheese is one of the things we are famous for Rope pulling contests, folk dancing, archery, every old Dutch game has been dusted off and gets displayed for the royal family and they keep smiling like they are seeing it for the first time, bless em.

Gotta say I kinda envy any nation with a monarchy (and a working democracy at the same time!). All the glamour, I guess

Seriously, a monarch representing your country isn't nearly as depending on the current political situation. It adds a certain kind of stability. Which is a goos thing for someone doing the representing. Makes for more credibility. Not always, but sometimes.

I'm not sure I'm getting my point across. We've had some very good federal presidents (I still admire von Weizscker), but they'll always ber from the party having the majority when they were elected and that just kinda makes them more part of everyday politics than kings and queens.

That being said, have fun, you lucky dutchy kittens

And, of course, we actually do have a queen: Silvia Sommerlath aka Queen Silvia, the Swedes just claim she's theirs

Favourite Kings and Queens interesting topic! Well, I believe royalty has a place as a non-politcal head of state, so Im happy enough with a royalty. I have very little time for the majority of our current royal family though. Ive met some of them (through work) - e.g.Charles, Ann, the Queen and a few others. The Queen appears to be hard-working and tries to do her best; Ann is prettier than photos suggest and Charles has a very high opinion of himself.
Favourites well, I guess Arthurius, King of the Scots (608-632), better known as one of the possible sources for the legendary King Arthur of Camelot. Margaret, Maid of Norway (1286 - 1290) also the first Queen of Scotland in her own right. I have a soft spot for Elizabeth I of England, as she was an astute politician, and outmaneuvered the men in her Cabinet. She may not always have made good decisions, but she usually took responsibility for them.

Living in the States, naturally we don't have a monarchy but we do have our share of "Queens". Therefore my vote goes to RuPaul. Gotta love her. And Queen Latifa comes from my neck of the woods. She's a Jersey Girl.
In all seriousness, Happy Queens Day Dr G. I hope you are enjoying your day off. My daughter has to write a report on any country that has a monarchy. She hasn't decided which country to write about but I printed out a list for her and she's researching them. I'm sure which ever she decides, she'll put her heart into it as she always does.

Have a good day!

Love to All,
Barb

First of all, I too am enjoying Queen's Day here....too bad it's raining.

But that is not what I was gonna write about... I think the thing on my mind is not something that needs an own topic, so that's why I just put it here.

Last night I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar over here. Not because I'm such a religious person, but because it must be one of the best musicals, or rather, Rock Opera's ever. So, I finally saw it on stage, and it was superb...apparently I wasn't the only one thinking that, the applause went on for TEN minutes, something I've never experienced before, that long...
But the point I'm writing here about is the following. The actress who played Mary Magdalene had probably the most beautiful voice I've ever heard, and she was so great.... beautiful looking, beautiful voice, what more do you want?
Now, I'm looking all over the internet to find more, either music or info about her....point is, I only found one thing. So, I was wondering if it happens to be so, that someone here knows more, or know where to find more. The actresses name is Kristin Maloney.

Hopefully someone can help. Thanks

Patricia

Hi, DrG

Living in the country where Princess Maxima was born I'm glad to share at least that bit of your Queen's Day. I think it was great from Beatrix to keep it on her mother's birthday.

Sadly, we know very little of the Dutch Royal House but I sincerely hope Maxima makes you proud (and I'm glad you get a day off!)

Sea

Hi Inward Sea! Ok, I'm not the G.-ster but I do live in the same country as him. I can tell you that Maxima is the most popular member of the Royal Family by far, at number one in the most recent poll , beating the Queen, who's at #3..... And she would get my vote any day 'cause she's a babe and I would hate to see if she would have to conform too much to the stiff royal protocol and loose her freshness. Time will tell; we'll see.

Just seconding Concrete's sentiments about Maxima. She is well loved in the Netherlands, and I like her as well. I really admire the way she has mastered the Dutch language so well in so short a time. She seems to be an intelligent woman and truly kind. I can easily forgive the stuffy outfits she wears in public and her taste in husbands.

Monarchy's so darn cool.... it makes me happy. Favorite monarch? For me, that'd be Alfonso X of Spain, propagator of much wisdom and translator (by proxy) of an incredible number of texts between Latin, Spanish and Arabic dialects. Or maybe his descendent, Juana la Loca...? Happy Wednesday, everyone! --Nora

Hey G, lots of love for Magriet over here, she's an honorary Canadian. She was here last summer unveiling a statue in Ottawa, lovely lady.

(For those unaware: Princess Magriet of the Netherlands was born in Ottawa, Canada, during WWII while their royal family was in exile here. They temporarily made the delivery room a mini-embassy, so she'd be born on 'Dutch soil'.)

Not much of a fan of our actual royal family, I respect the queen enough but I cannot condone much from her eldest son. Diana, I loved and respected far more than the family she married into. But I've rambled on enough.

Gelukkig Koninginnedag to the Dutch Kittens, and happy end of April to everyone else!

While I don't live in a Monarch run country..( sometimes I wish I did! ) I do have memories of my grandmother teaching me about Princess Diana and everyone. And I who doesn't love Furgie? ( sp?)

I'm very ambivalent about royalty. On the one hand, as I posted over on the War/Politics thread, I have ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, God bless 'em: George III, you're outta here!

I mean, why should anyone be royal-born . . . unless it's me? My blood is no more or less blue than anyone elses. (And boy, would a royal stipend help me pay off my student loans! )Moreover, I happen to think I would make a a really stylin' *king* (of the drag variety).

So that's the republican (small r!) side talkin'. On the other hand, a defense of royalty could kinda work the same way I've defended the ordained priesthood in my church (Anglican): every social structure has concentrations of power. With a formalized structure, you simply can clearly tell exactly where the power lies. No need to look for complicated conspiracies, it's all right out in the open. And therefore, if that power is abused, then that's out in the open too.

Feh, I'm not convinced, either. Count me as a radically anti-authoritarian anarchist . . . until everybody wises up and makes me El Ruler Supremo.

GG But guess what GG's totally non-butch given name is? That's right, Juliana! Out

concrete & DrG

I'm glad you like her! I watched the wedding and loved every bit of it. Now, let's hope Queen Beatrix doesn't bother be #3 on public preferences... Pity the wardrobe thing, Maxima used to wear very fine clothes before. Why do some royals seem to think elegance is against them?

About her taste in husbands, perhaps she's able to do a miracle...

Sea