The second thing about Christmas in New Zealand that was different from America (the first was the weather), was the annual Christmas message from Her Majesty the Queen. Elizabeth II is Queen of New Zealand (and Canada and Australia) as well as the United Kingdom and, as sovereign, is New Zealand’s Head of State.
In general, New Zealanders respect her (some more reverently than others, it must be said). But to be very honest, watching her annual message isn’t necessarily on anyone’s “must do” list at Christmas.
This year, it’s very easy: Anyone can subscribe to the Royal Podcast (that’s really what it’s called) and hear the Queen’s message anytime from 1500 GMT on Christmas Day. Subscribing involves receiving other official speeches released as podcasts (currently, that means only the Queen’s message on her 80th birthday in which she quotes Groucho Marx. It’s a must-hear). But it’s possible to download just the Christmas message.
So, anyone with an Internet connection can listen to the Royal Podcast, whether a citizen of the UK, a Commonwealth country or any one of several countries for whom the British monarch was once the sovereign (like the United States), or any other country. Best of all, you can listen when it suits, and not be dictated to by the tyranny of time zones.
I've noticed that when one begins discussing the Queen one begins to feel the need to say "one" instead of "you". Fortunately, this only happens when discussing THE Queen, not A queen.
But I wonder if the Queen listens to any other podcasts on her Royal iPod? Personally, I rather like the mental image of her listening to Tranny Wreck or maybe Yeast Radio. One gathers that's not terribly likely.
2 comments:
I love the sound of a "Royal Podcast". It sort of makes me think of the Queen, sitting on a "pod", or travelling intergalactically in a "spacepod".
Merry Christmas to you and your readers!
I've noticed that when one begins discussing the Queen one begins to feel the need to say "one" instead of "you". Fortunately, this only happens when discussing THE Queen, not A queen.
But I wonder if the Queen listens to any other podcasts on her Royal iPod? Personally, I rather like the mental image of her listening to Tranny Wreck or maybe Yeast Radio. One gathers that's not terribly likely.
Merry Christmas to you, LiF!
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