It was the first time that any European monarchy connected with its working people, since Medieval times.
Before that, King Louis XIV considered himself godlike, just like the Chinese emperors and Roman emperors did before him. Centuries of monarchies kept a separation between king and people. George V's granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, thinks the Crown has a direct link with working people--bypassing the bourgeois. (Royals saw themselves at the "top", but when the flabby aristocracies came "under attack", the monarchy disintegrated, too). Never has a monarch been on such a steadfast schedule of touring amongst its people. I like that. I reminds me of the ancient Chinese emperor who "walked amongst his people" to see how things were really going.
It works... and keeps the coffers full. Done with panache, the Prince of Wales sells organic farm-to-table produce. The Duke of Edinburgh is an environmentalist / conservationist, and his grandsons volunteer for the underprivileged. All of that keeps the tradition alive.
Notice the unchanged costumes: reused for generations.
Even though powdered wigs went out of style after King Louis & Marie Antoinette were beheaded during the French Revolution...
In the United Kingdom, top-level judges and justices in the Judicial branch of government still wear horsehair wigs. Lesser-ranking barristers and solicitors wear shorter ones. That practice is also used in Ireland and Commonwealth Nations: Malaysia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the island-nation of Sri Lanka.
The same goes for 16th - 18th-century breeches, buckle shoes, robes, lace, and liveries. From dustman to duke, the attire is adhered to. Footmen, page boys, and coachmen don it for special duties.
From the Kingdom of Brunei to France, militaries LOVE to wear their stylishly-designed uniforms (different ones for climates & seasons).
France killed its corrupt sovereign, but nobility remain... as does their royal guard, the Garde Republicaine, seen below.
Royal horse guardsmen protect the Queen of England when she annually "opens Parliament" at her Palace of Westminster.
Trumpeters in Bermuda look spiffy.
The royal guards of Thailand, above, look snappy in summer white. I admire the white spats on the palace guard, below, in the Principality of Monaco.
Think about it, each of Queen Elizabeth's princes automatically gets a dozen custom-tailored military dress uniforms, representing their "automatic" ranks within regiments of varied armed forces of the United Kingdom, the 53 nations of its Commonwealth (16 are realms that still hold Elizabeth II as their monarch), British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
Religious leaders are often royal allies and equally love their traditional colorful attire. After all, the sovereign is often the "head of church and state".
In addition to those groups that are "paused in time"--another "pause in time" is the fact that people and objects...
... still travel through the modern cities of Europe in antique horse-drawn carriages. Royal Mews often have dozens of centuries-old coaches, broughams, landaus, and carriages.
Using such transport--like the King of Portugal's coach, above--might be wonderful.
They enjoy riding in their fleet of antique cars.
Such things coordinate nicely with hundreds of historic manors, estates, castles, and palaces. Most are maintained by tax dollars/admission tolls (ironically as it was in feudal times).
The scene above seems unchanged nowadays.
Jewels are another timeless accessory (as worn below by the Duchess of Marlborough, below).
Thus, when police escorts halt traffic and say "Keep back!", they're talking to those same "working people" whom royals want to relate with.
Speaking of travel, I marveled at the tenacious custom to erect the "royal standard" flag on whatever vehicle or aircraft a sovereign alights from.
Sometimes, monarchs bequeath gems, or they bestow awards, titles, royal warrants, and knighthoods... which keeps up popularity.
All in all, it keeps the festal pomp alive, and it allows a charmed life.
Similar to the kingly Pope (above), the Emperor of Japan (below) has a dynasty that outlived its competition.
Preparing the "red carpet" for royalty is customary...
...although some literally "throw themselves at their feet"... seen below before the Princess of Holonga.
Thanks to the people's support (and diplomatic immunity), royalty can live like "royalty", making connections, ruling on decisions, and entertaining in style.
Some monarchies get overthrown but are restored, like Spain's.
Others endure, thanks to well-matched mates like Duchess Kate.
Thusly, the institution, a.k.a. "family firm", lives on.
Even though powdered wigs went out of style after King Louis & Marie Antoinette were beheaded during the French Revolution...
... European nobility still made their footmen wear them, throughout the 1800s and into modern day (seen below), as memorabilia of that "grand era".
In the United Kingdom, top-level judges and justices in the Judicial branch of government still wear horsehair wigs. Lesser-ranking barristers and solicitors wear shorter ones. That practice is also used in Ireland and Commonwealth Nations: Malaysia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the island-nation of Sri Lanka.
Lord Mayors, Vice Lords, aldermen, sheriffs, military knights, and assorted royal appointees wear them. Such flamboyant attire certainly breaks the monotony and adds whimsy.
See Britain's Yeoman of the Guard (above)--unchanged in uniform since the 1500s--and footmen of the Royal Swedish and Danish families (below).
Whilst not riding horses anymore, England's Lord Lieutenants still wear spurs on their boots.
Another form of "costuming" exists in military dress uniforms. Most militaries are fond of tradition.
Historically, royals kept their power by keeping the military "close to heart".
France killed its corrupt sovereign, but nobility remain... as does their royal guard, the Garde Republicaine, seen below.
Royal horse guardsmen protect the Queen of England when she annually "opens Parliament" at her Palace of Westminster.
Trumpeters in Bermuda look spiffy.
The royal guards of Thailand, above, look snappy in summer white. I admire the white spats on the palace guard, below, in the Principality of Monaco.
Think about it, each of Queen Elizabeth's princes automatically gets a dozen custom-tailored military dress uniforms, representing their "automatic" ranks within regiments of varied armed forces of the United Kingdom, the 53 nations of its Commonwealth (16 are realms that still hold Elizabeth II as their monarch), British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
Religious leaders are often royal allies and equally love their traditional colorful attire. After all, the sovereign is often the "head of church and state".
In addition to those groups that are "paused in time"--another "pause in time" is the fact that people and objects...
... still travel through the modern cities of Europe in antique horse-drawn carriages. Royal Mews often have dozens of centuries-old coaches, broughams, landaus, and carriages.
Using such transport--like the King of Portugal's coach, above--might be wonderful.
They enjoy riding in their fleet of antique cars.
Such things coordinate nicely with hundreds of historic manors, estates, castles, and palaces. Most are maintained by tax dollars/admission tolls (ironically as it was in feudal times).
The scene above seems unchanged nowadays.
Falkenlust Palace, in Germany (above).
Castle Howard & Lismore Castle (both below).
Thus, when police escorts halt traffic and say "Keep back!", they're talking to those same "working people" whom royals want to relate with.
Speaking of travel, I marveled at the tenacious custom to erect the "royal standard" flag on whatever vehicle or aircraft a sovereign alights from.
Sometimes, monarchs bequeath gems, or they bestow awards, titles, royal warrants, and knighthoods... which keeps up popularity.
The Swedish and Norwegian kings preside at Nobel Prizes.
All in all, it keeps the festal pomp alive, and it allows a charmed life.
The Norwegian royal family looks handsome (below).
Aside from constantly meeting celebrities, they ARE celebrities, such as Princess Haya of Jordan and (former Queen) Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands (seen below).
Similar to the kingly Pope (above), the Emperor of Japan (below) has a dynasty that outlived its competition.
Preparing the "red carpet" for royalty is customary...
...although some literally "throw themselves at their feet"... seen below before the Princess of Holonga.
Thanks to the people's support (and diplomatic immunity), royalty can live like "royalty", making connections, ruling on decisions, and entertaining in style.
Some monarchies get overthrown but are restored, like Spain's.
Others endure, thanks to well-matched mates like Duchess Kate.
Thusly, the institution, a.k.a. "family firm", lives on.
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