Any monarchy, particularly one as high-profile as the UK’s one, relies on projection. It has to earn the word “majesty” through mystique and pageantry. The long reign of Elizabeth II helped, giving a sense of permanence, but it must be invested as much in the role as the person, allowing the seamless passing of that magic from one generation to another.
Which could be a problem when the new king spruiks homeopathy, looks like a Pixar rendering of a depressed bat, and is apparently capable of losing a fight with a pen:
Yep, that’s our new head of state, signing a condolence book for his mother with the wrong date and then coating his hands in pen ink (“every stinking time!” he huffs as he leaves the room, because of course this isn’t the first time he’s been bested by stationery).
We noted elsewhere today that the republican movement in Australia has decided to sit out the debate during the royal period of mourning. You can debate whether that’s a politically savvy move, but if we were in charge of its social media accounts we would simply retweet the above video without comment, along with the footage of him berating some off-screen staffer for failing to clear the table quickly enough at his ascension ceremony, the fact that he won’t pay tax on his inheritance, the coming redundancies his staff were told about during the service for the queen at St Giles’ Cathedral …
Let’s look at this pen & signing situation more closely. When Charles approached the first documents at St James’ Palace the table had been set up by an incompetent. Charles was expected to reach across a double inkwell to sign documents. Try that yourself sometime. The inkwells had been placed at the foot of the documents rather than at the top where they would not have impeded someone attempting to write. Otherwise the inkwells could have been placed vertically between the two documents. From a practical point of view only a single inkwell was required, not a cumbersome double.
The Queen had a favourite fountain pen, a Parker ’51, maroon with a rolled gold cap. She used it for several decades, it’s regarded as one of the most reliable fountain pens, a classic model for many pen aficionados. Charles should commandeer his late mother’s pen & carry it to all signings. No more threat of leaks.
Had exactly the same thought. A generation that does not remember the struggle with pens dipped in ink entirely lacks both understanding and sympathy.
I remember the first time, in what would now be called grade 10, I wrote an English essay assignment in biro. My English teacher, later a lifetime friend who died only two and a half years ago at 89, had a long discussion with me about the dangers of swapping my trusty old fountain pen for a biro.
And then there were the total horrors of using Indian ink – if spilt the stains lasted forever.
Young people today – don’t know how lucky they are (sarc!!)
Indian ink is only for dipping pens, never let it near a fountain pen, it rots them.
Yes I remember. A fountain pen loaded with Indian ink died at once – blocked beyond redemption.
Ahem. It is India ink. If you must all be pedantic, at least be pedantic.
The struggle with pens dipped in ink was an anachronism when I entered the world nearly fifty years ago, much like the monarchy, who promptly helped the CIA oust the only leader we ever had worth a damn, while I was still in nappies.
Perhaps my generation can be forgiven for heaping scorn on these inbred nobodies who insist on occupying the apex of our institutions. At least we gave up making our kids swear allegiance to such filth shortly after I started attending school…
I understand that the inkwell set was a gift from William and Harry, so that’s why they were used.
The episode occurred in Ireland. Not sure why the inkwell set gift would have been sent to Ireland for a book signing.
Just lucky the mikes didn’t catch the old royal complaint, ‘bloody Ireland!”
This doesn’t excuse his poor behavior and dummy spit. I suspect we will see more of this over time. Let’s hope.
There are many reasons to be concerned that we have a monarch, and there are reasons to question this bloke’s capacity to perform his role, but this is a beat up.
Here we have a human being who has just lost his mother and has been engaged in numerous official duties associated with her mourning. He will be exhausted and grief stricken and has a brother associated with child sex trafficking out in public. The desk was set up very poorly for a critical and televised signing ceremony.
He lost his temper. A great many people would lose their temper in that situation. I hope I wouldn’t take my stress out on an employee but I do remember that I took two weeks leave from work after my mother died and my official duties were to help my family arrange Mum’s funeral, help write the eulogy, go to the funeral, and request leave from work.
If we republicans have to resort to mocking this exhausted, grieving King, our arguments against the monarchy must be incredibly weak.
This confirms the republicans’ weakness, as explained so brilliantly by Guy Rundle last week. In an epoch where political and social structures are crumbling, the perceived permanence and stability of the monarchy is appealing. And add to that Albo’s determination not to engage in a culture war with the coalition over the monarchy. Consequently I suspect it is here to stay.
He’s his father’s son….
How many of you as a child has had to use a pen and inkwell? Try it if you haven’t. You’ll find it’s a messy business and no fund at all.
Remember when primary school classes had an ink monitor? Totally messy business.
Note the operative phrase: had to. Children are forced to do as they are told. This guy is in his 70s. He doesn’t have to use a fountain pen. I could understand if he wanted to use one, but “this always happens” either indicates that he rarely uses one due to their faults or else maybe he uses them all the time despite their downsides because he’s a masochist?
Laszlo Biro invented the ballpoint pen in 1931. Due to its superiority over fountain pens, the ballpoint is the #1 method of signing documents and has been since the 1960s. While fountain pens became popular in the early 19th century, they’re not exactly ancient and traditional. There is no reason “our” king couldn’t have sent one of his many minders down to the corner store for a cheap pen that doesn’t leak ink all over its user.
We were forbidden to use biros in the 50s when learning ‘running writing’ because copperplate evolved from quills, later ivory then metal nibs, dipped in ink and demanded light upstrokes and firm downstrokes.
Such fine differences in script are well nigh impossible with a biro.
Also, a the nib of a good quality fountain pen became worn to a person’s writing style – it was the height of ill manners to ask to borrow one.
We were not allowed to submit any school assignment in biro all through the 1970s…
This man in his 70s has just lost his mother and is enduring a hideous public spectacle and circus.