Royal Connection

I doubt if anyone could describe me as a Royalist. On the other hand, I certainly don't identify myself as a Republican or even anti-monarchy. Back in the annals of history I guess my ancestors had that choice to make during the English Civil War. Now matters have long since been resolved through the sovereignty of Parliament and curtailment of the role of the monarch, it's hardly necessary to voice an opinion unless you venture into a debate on the value versus cost of the Civil List.

My brushes with Royalty have, therefore, been few and far between. 

There was, however, a strange sense of affinity when a Frenchman in a bar in Brittany many years ago insisted that Mister E had to be Prince Charles. One pastis too many perhaps, but then there was also the instance in Malaysia when locals insisted that we pose with them for photographs which they told us they were going to show to their friends whilst telling them they had met members of the British Royal family! Believe me, there is seriously no genuine resemblance.

However,  I was intrigued to read these articles marking the Prince of Wales' recent 70th birthday, in The Guardian and The Telegraph (I only get to read Country Life when waiting for rare doctor's appointments so haven't seen the magazine on which their articles are based). It seems that like so many retirees he's practising frugality not presumably in his case because of economic deprivation but because like many of us he hates waste, and, in tune with my recent post, is against consumerism.

Of course, I'm not sure that having a tailor patch your bespoke garments is quite the same as darning your own socks but it says something for values in retirement when you can feel a nexus with someone still waiting to start his career as King, even if that person used to be ridiculed for allegedly talking to plants. He may not be mending and making do but, like so many people in retirement, Prince Charles has been using his big birthday to seek to demonstrate environmental credentials and his own attempts to live as sustainably as possible.

Reduce, reuse, recycle.