http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/royal-family/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/arise-sir-john-who-dares-bring-back-the-knighthood/ Pop quiz – name an AC (Companion of the Order of Australia). Quick! Nice try but probably no cigar. At the risk of putting two and two together and coming up with 147, The Punch detects (speculates wildly) the time might be ripe for a swing back to the days of Sirs and Dames. Perhaps it’s John Howard’s induction into the Order of Merit or the fact the Queen finished 2011 with a grin as wide as the Empire of old. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/arise-sir-john-who-dares-bring-back-the-knighthood/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/arise-sir-john-who-dares-bring-back-the-knighthood/#item7472 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-queen-is-not-the-glue-holding-australia-together/ Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-queen-is-not-the-glue-holding-australia-together/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-queen-is-not-the-glue-holding-australia-together/#item7002 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-royals-have-the-edge-on-republicans/ We now know courtesy of the Queen’s meeting with horseracing king Bart Cummings that Her Majesty is not much of a punter. Were she so inclined, the Queen could do worse than wagering a lazy fiver on the chances of the British Royal Family seeing off any renewed push by Australian Republicans for constitutional change. I write this as a republican of the most common kind; the do-nothing kind, the kind who is slightly irritated that we had our chance at constitutional change and blew it, but doesn’t care enough to do anything about revisiting the issue. The two things which jarred with me most about the republican push in Australia were the ineffective tactics used to market constitutional change, with the yes vote spearheaded by two of our worst prime ministers, the economically incompetent Gough Whitlam and the do-nothing Malcolm Fraser, and the overblown claims as to the impact any change would have on our national psyche, as if we are somehow a weak and insipid nation for being a constitutional monarchy. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-royals-have-the-edge-on-republicans/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-royals-have-the-edge-on-republicans/#item6991 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-our-immovable-royals/ What a month it’s been for our Royal Family. Yesterday we pretended to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday, even though it’s not actually her birthday at all. Despite having a perfectly functional and distinctly Australian honours system on January 26, in keeping with tradition we again used the Queen’s pretend birthday to recognise those Australians who have given of themselves to the community. While their efforts should be recognised, it seems quaint that this recognition is still linked to old concepts of Empire which our new system of publicly-elected honours recipients sought to phase out some 34 years ago. On Friday, the Duke of Edinburgh turned 90, granting a rare interview to the BBC to observe the occasion. Prince Philip said that as he entered his 10th decade on earth he now intended to shift things down a gear. “I reckon I’ve done my bit,” he said, without elaborating as to what his “bit” actually was, unless you count making off-colour remarks to dusky chaps in the former colonies as a form of employment. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-our-immovable-royals/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/long-to-reign-over-us-our-immovable-royals/#item6071 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-02-06-2011/ We’re baaaack….Hello? Anyone there? We were just wondering if we could borrow a cup of sugar? Ok you caught us, we actually want you to do our survey. Now. It’s around for a limited time only. So just click on this link and give us a piece of your mind. Go on, you know you want to! Now we might be opening a can of worms with this one, but on this day in 1953, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor officially became Queen Elizabeth II, the monarch of the British Commonwealth. Good show, old chap! So do you think Will is fit to be King now that he’s tied the knot? And will Australia still be part of the Commonwealth by the time that happens? Post-birthday hangovers here at The Punch. How are you? Make yourselves comfortable and tell us all about it… feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-02-06-2011/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-02-06-2011/#item5978 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/oh-what-a-night-a-right-royal-retro-revival/ It was the night that Australia turned back the pages of history and showed its love affair with royalty is far from dead. Featuring a handsome prince and a beautiful bride, Friday’s fairytale wedding between William and Catherine captured the hearts of millions of true blue Aussies as they tuned in to televisions in living rooms, pubs and party venues around the nation to watch the regal celebrations unfold in London. The pomp, ceremony and celebrity of the occasion were enough to give hardened republican supporters a bad case of indigestion, but for once their complaints were swamped by the royal euphoria. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/oh-what-a-night-a-right-royal-retro-revival/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/oh-what-a-night-a-right-royal-retro-revival/#item5736 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/ Love makes a marriage, even a Royal one. This is the simple and powerful message of the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, one that’s relevant to Australia’s same-sex marriage debate. Once royal weddings were about dynastic alliances. That began to change in the twentieth century, but still there were limits on who a royal married, famously illustrated by the abdication of Edward VIII to marry a divorcee. As recently as the marriage of William’s father, Charles, to Lady Di, it was inconceivable that an heir to the throne would marry outside the aristocracy or have a relationship with his fiancé prior to the wedding. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/even-the-windsors-recognise-same-sex-marriage/#item5711 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kate-and-will-officially-not-complete-muppets/ The outpouring of saccharine dross about the upcoming Royal Marriage has thrown into sharp relief the spectacularly low expectations we have of Royals. William and Kate are being feted as the saviours of the monarchy largely because they are not foolish, badly behaved muppets and are not an embarrassment to the institution and the country. Indeed they seem like reasonably likeable, down-to-earth people considering their situation - keeping in mind that I am making a totally uninformed judgment here. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kate-and-will-officially-not-complete-muppets/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/kate-and-will-officially-not-complete-muppets/#item5676 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-man-who-should-be-king/ When Prince Charles visited Australia in March, 2004, he boarded a large military helicopter in Canberra and flew to Gunning, a small town near Goulburn, NSW, where he spent the morning visiting some kind of organic farm. It made for a great story on ABC Radio’s Country Hour, but didn’t exactly resonate with the wider community. Compare that to Prince William, whose tour de disaster zone this week has been an absolute tour de force. When necessary, Will has overstepped the bounds of protocol, hugging the commoners as the mood struck him. He was also professionally standoffish as required, most notably when he wisely declined to answer a bystander’s question about recalcitrant insurers. It’s a gift, this business of playing the people’s royal. Will’s mother Diana had it. His father Charles doesn’t. And given that pretty much the only reason the royal family still exists is to pep up the public spirit, there’s only one conclusion – and that’s that William should be the next British Monarch. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-man-who-should-be-king/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-man-who-should-be-king/#item5430 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-21-03-2011/ Welcome to Monday at The Punch Splitsville. Wills and Kate beware, today’s an unlucky date for British royal couples. Both Princess Margaret (the queen’s sister) and Prince Andrew (the queen’s younger son) ended their respective marriages (1972, 1992) on this day in history. What’s on your mind? Share it here. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-21-03-2011/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/punch-on-open-thread-21-03-2011/#item5423 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Alexander Downer has a disturbing lack of faith in Australia and Australians. How else to explain his column in The Advertiser where he appeared to suggest without the good graces of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Australia would slip into some sort of blood-soaked revolution. Mr Downer invoked the situation in Libya, mentioned the horrors of the Russian Revolution and even the French Revolution then pondered why our nation is “quiet, placid, peaceful Australia”. His conclusion? The Queen.