I just saw the Queen...

That is the movie of course!:) (though mind you i have had the very good fortune of seeing her majesty in person as well!). About the movie "The Queen" well its brilliant, helen mirren does an absolutely fabulous job and you think its actually the Queen herself. I think every charactor whether it is of Mr. Blair or Prince Phillip , its remarkable how accurately the director has been able to portray them. It shows prince Phillip who lives in his own royal fairyland - he hasnt an inklink about what the reality is. It shows the late Queen Mother as the good humored but tough stanced lady that she always was and it shows Prince Charles as the eager to please and scared to displease heir apparent in the wait.

It also shows the marked difference between people like Cherrie Blair, the Labour party members and the new breed of the "english' people (who are perhaps more immigrants rather than good ol ENglish stock) who are all for 'modernization' and more 'democratization' and their sarcastic stance on what they feel is an outdated antiquated system - the monarchy. Oppossed to them in thought are the very members of the Old Nobility, the various Lords and Earls, who hold offices which are primarily offices in name to fulfill some duty for the royal household (Like Lord Airlie in the movie), these are the people who respect and abide by the old hierarchical societal laws.

Somewhere in between are Mr. Blair and Her Majesty. Mr. Blair is the man of the moment (then that is), England cheers him and so does the rest of the world. Diana is dead, England is baying for someones blood. Charles is trying to act according to what he gauges is popular with the public. It is here that the Queen shows her greatness. The ability to do what she believes in. She is the Queen of England, the sovereign of this most wonderful country, not some hungry vote seeking all appeasing politician.

It is here again that Tony Blair surprises not only his party, but also his anti monarchist wife. There are party demands to pass a bill to change or abolish the monarchy. Tony Blair is popular as ever, the Queen has never been more unpopular, he could have pushed for that bill, having party and public support.

Yet Mr. Blair does what one of his predessecors Mr. Disraeli did a long long time ago with another Queen (Victoria) who had fallen to unpopularity. My personal respect for Mr. Blair grew leaps and bounds when i saw the decision he made. The correct decision inspite of the mood of the moment. He decided the Queen was way too valueable to allow herself to become unpopular, so he tried unceasingly to request her and request her again when the plea fell on uncompromising ears. It worked finally and the Queen once again ruled the hearts of her people. May Her Majesty always do so - God willing.

My favorite scene in the movie is when Blair lashes out at his party mates for attacking the Queen and taking up for Diana instead. He says what i have always thought and upheld. He says how can people think that it is the Queens fault, all this remarkable woman has ever done is to do her duty uncompromisingly, unfailingly and yet everybody prefers a drama queen like Diana who tries to shred the very instituition the Queen has nurtured for all her life. Of course he doesnt use the words i use here, but the gist is the same.