Sixty Joyless De-Britished Uncrowned Commonpoor Years (1949-2009)

Elizabeth II Vice-Regal Saint: Remembering Paul Comtois (1895–1966), Lt.-Governor of Québec
Britannic Inheritance: Britain's proud legacy. What legacy will America leave?
English Debate: Daniel Hannan revels in making mince meat of Gordon Brown
Crazy Canucks: British MP banned from Canada on national security grounds
Happy St. Patrick's: Will Ireland ever return to the Commonwealth?
Voyage Through the Commonwealth: World cruise around the faded bits of pink.
No Queen for the Green: The Green Party of Canada votes to dispense with monarchy.
"Sir Edward Kennedy": The Queen has awarded the senator an honorary Knighthood.
President Obama: Hates Britain, but is keen to meet the Queen?
The Princess Royal: Princess Anne "outstanding" in Australia.
H.M.S. Victory: In 1744, 1000 sailors went down with a cargo of gold.
Queen's Commonwealth: Britain is letting the Commonwealth die.
Justice Kirby: His support for monarchy almost lost him appointment to High Court
Royal Military Academy: Sandhurst abolishes the Apostles' Creed.
Air Marshal Alec Maisner, R.I.P. Half Polish, half German and 100% British.
Cherie Blair: Not a vain, self regarding, shallow thinking viper after all.
Harry Potter: Celebrated rich kid thinks the Royals should not be celebrated
The Royal Jelly: A new king has been coronated, and his subjects are in a merry mood
Victoria Cross: Australian TROOPER MARK DONALDSON awarded the VC
Godless Buses: Royal Navy veteran, Ron Heather, refuses to drive his bus
Labour's Class War: To expunge those with the slightest pretensions to gentility
100 Top English Novels of All Time: The Essential Fictional Library
BIG BEN: Celebrating 150 Years of the Clock Tower

Monday 9 March 2009

New Zealand Restores Knighthoods!

News to swell loyal hearts from the happy plot at the bottom of the Earth.

Insight%20nov08%20gallery%20zeal%20largeThe Queen receives the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Hon. John Key MP, at Buckingham Palace, 25 November 2008.

This is huge. It is being reported that New Zealand is to restore the rank of Sir and Dame to its honours system nine years after it abolished titles in favour of Republican-style distinctions.

If we called Prime Minister John Key a limousine liberal in the recent past, we do at this moment take it all back. I mean, wow. What a glorious turn of events. Hallelujah for rare political miracles. By George, he did it!

Come on Australia and Canada, do the right thing, and follow New Zealand's lead. If a foreigner like Ted Kennedy is allowed to accept the honour of a knighthood from the Queen, it is only our ancient God-given right as Her Majesty's own subjects to be permitted the same.

Why the fall of Helengrad was a good thing. Happy Commonwealth Day indeed.

15 comments:

Stauffenberg said...

What fabulous news for a drizzly Monday morning! Here in Germany no-one remotely interested in the Commonwealth could ever grasp why some realms bestowed knighthoods and others had ceased to in recent years. While there are bound to be knighthoods with a political whiff about them (unavoidable as no goverment will ever loosen its grip on nominations) Sirs and Dames reflect heritage and history far better than gongs designed by committees. Might be going to buy a good bottle of New Zealand wine to mark the occasion.

Keir said...

Terrific news! I've been near apoplexy to hear of moves to replace the Manitoban flag by NDP nobodies with no doubt something approximating a local hockey team (to 'sell' a province by betraying those who lived and died to create it). A most timely intervention from New Zealand!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful news, I had heard a rumour months ago this would happen.

We should note Kennedy's knighthood is 'honorary'.

Now, end the nonsense of Nickle, my dear Canada.

Marcus Castell said...

The Kiwi corporate shill is not as dumb as he looks; a knighthood has always fetched a good price in the political donation stakes.

Anonymous said...

Predictably, nuch of the media here in NZ has been making much of the return to a "colonial" honours system. Labour politicians in particular have been quick to lambast the return of knighthoods - mostly on the grounds that it isn't the NZ thing to "do" titles.
I wonder why no reporter ever asks why Clarke then didn't do away with "Rt Hon" and "Hon" for titles for ministers or why the previous deputy leader of the Labour party always objected to the speaker if he wasn't refered to as Dr Cullen?

Naturally I am delighted that worthy New Zealander's contributions will easily recongised by others.

My hope is that the honours system is taken to the next logical point and taken out of the hands of party-politics and managed by a truley independant secriteriate to avoid the blantant political appointments which have occassionaly blighted honours lists in the past.

Mac

David Byers said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
David Byers said...

That's good! They don't give them out in Australia any more but the Queen can give a knighthoods to Australians personally if she wishers.

Republic sentiments are far stronger in Australia than New Zealand even in supposedly conservative parties.

Lewis Holden said...

Funnily enough Anon, John Key actually unilaterally abolished the title "Rt. Hon" and said the government wouldn't appoint anyone to HM's Privy Council. So it's 1 all on that count...

Anonymous said...

Lewis, close but not quite. Mr Key has not "unilaterly abolished" the title Rt Hon. He has continued with Clarks' descision not to make any recommendations to the UK PM for NZ appointments to the privy council. Those who are council members continue to hold the title.

Mac

Anonymous said...

The chances of an Australian republic before you or I hit middle age is zero, David - and even the ARM is admitting it!!

http://tinyurl.com/bvs7qb

Don't forget - there are loads of undeclared monarchists in the parliamentary ALP (but only one declared one - Jack Snelling, Speaker of the SA Parliament), and if there is ever another referendum in Australia, you'll be able to count one hand the number of conservatives who'll back direct election.

It's over. I'd like to see imaginative constitutionalists in Australia get back on the front foot by supporting bringing back AKs and ADs, for staters.

David Byers said...

'99 Referendum Veteran, I'm 41 I thought that was middle aged:) Anyway I would like to see a return to Knighthoods.

Matt said...

Mac wrote: "My hope is that the honours system is taken to the next logical point and taken out of the hands of party-politics and managed by a truley independant secriteriate to avoid the blantant political appointments which have occassionaly blighted honours lists in the past."

I would think such a secretariat already exists in the Governor General. Surly the GG has someone who can read through all the honors recommendations and cull the unworthy.

This news makes my immigration to NZ all the more likely.

Anonymous said...

Most fansastic news. Maybe the Queen should knight Mr. Key for this noble action.

Marcus Castell said...

That venerable statesman, the Right Honourable Sir John Key, appointed as Governor-General in 2025? Perhaps he's more ambitious than we realised.

Anonymous said...

Matt,

At present the NZ Honours Secretariat is part of the cabinet office. Effectively honours are the personal ministerial prerogative of the Prime Minister, with some sadly predictable party-poltical appointments in the past.

Personally, I would much prefer to see a non-partisan Secretariate chaired by the GG, with the GG having a veto / deciding vote if required.

Mac