Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Wednesday 17 January 2024

How not to report Royal events


In the modern world we are surrounded by online reporting of events great and small. Royal lives and events are not only examined and discussed in great detail but also subject to the scrutiny of self-styled “royal experts” and commentators. 

The transfer of royal authority in Denmark illustrates some of the failings of the journalistic world. What was not a coronation, and with not an actual crown in sight, was frequently, repeatedly, described as a coronation and the new King and Queen described as being crowned. The blindingly obvious never got through to the “experts”.

Denmark last had an actual coronation in 1840 - details on Wikipedia - but we were told by the “experts” that the practice ended four centuries ago… Five minutes in front of the computer would tell them the historical reality ….

We were also told that Queen Mary is the first Australian born Queen. She is the first reigning Queen born in Australia but not the first Australian to be married to a claimant. The mother of the claimant to the throne of Albania, the de jure King Leka II, was the Australian born Queen Susan. Wikipedia has a biography of her at Susan Cullen-Ward

Now if I can get these things right with a mixture of a tolerable memory, common sense and a bit of time in front of a computer screen why cannot state-of-the-art “experts” and commentators - who are presumably well paid and chosen to cover their topics?

Never mind “Put not your trust in Princes”, put not your trust in “experts”.


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