Our own model of a modern major
general, Michael Jeffery, encountered the next King of Australia at the
Pope’s funeral and was offered a lift to London on the royal plane so
everyone could be back in time for next day’s wedding. Much better,
said the GG, than being squashed among the ordinary folk on the Irish
charter service, Ryanair.

The invitation was given before our
next King realised he had shaken the hand of a member of the outdated
Commonwealth of Nations, the appalling Zimbabwean dictator, Robert
Mugabe. Charles, it is reported, went into a melt-down and a
Christ-not-another-blunder type rage. He got to Rome International
Airport fifteen minutes early and ordered an immediate take-off. What
about Michael Jeffery, you offered him a lift? Let’s go, I want to get
out of here, he snapped.

My own sources in Rome have confirmed the Jefferys were not
enmeshed in a traffic snarl – they got the airport on time and found
that Charles had already left. Which shows what our next king thinks of
Mummy’s antipodean representative. Thanks to the Australian embassy,
they were put in first-class seats on British Airways.

Back
in the real world, Jeffery sometime ago accepted the patronage of the
ultra right-wing government-funded and tax-deductible Constitutional
Education Fund of Australia (CEF-A), whose sole aim is to retain at all
costs the foreign non-resident unelected head of state. CEF-A’s trustee
is Professor David Flint, and its paid secretary is Mrs Kerry Moran
Jones, and the two are the threads which hold together the moribund
Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy (ACM).

Jeffery says he is not advocating a change to our existing system
of government, nor is he supporting the status quo. If that’s the case
why did he accept the patronage of CEF-A? Maybe the ARM should ask him
to be its patron as well. Incidentally ARM chair Professor John
Warhurst has written to Jeffery three times since last November asking
for a meeting to discuss constitutional issues. Not so much of a reply
from the man who says he’s here for all Australians. Over to you, Your
Excellency.