Part of Sandringham House, one of the royal family’s many enormous homes, photo by Elliott Brown/CC (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
Caroline Vincent, Leicester East Socialist Party
Just in case there was any doubt that it’s one law for them and another for us, Prince Philip cleared that up as he ploughed his tank-like Land Rover 4×4 into the path of a lowly Kia. He blamed his careless driving on being dazzled by the sun.
“I’m such a fool,” he remarked to witnesses. Indeed! But while it’s unlikely one of us commoners would be allowed back on the road at the age of 97 after such foolish recklessness, the Duke of Edinburgh needn’t worry about the consequences.
Presented with a brand new £68,000 Freelander, the royal freeloader was back behind the wheel just two days later. This time without his seat belt! The other driver’s car is still in the shop.
The non-royals involved in the accident included a nine-month-old baby, and two women who needed hospital treatment for their injuries.
No one involved was seriously hurt, not that the establishment press thought this was of any interest. Their initial coverage merely reported that Prince Philip had walked away unscathed – thank goodness!
Police
The driver of the Kia has allegedly come under intense pressure from the police to keep quiet and not make a fuss. The duke has certainly been quiet, not offering so much as an apology.
The car’s passenger, who suffered a broken wrist, said “I love the royals, but I’ve been ignored and rejected.” Sadly for her, the love is not reciprocated.
An ‘apology’ eventually materialised when a voicemail was left by one of the royal servants.
The whole fiasco reveals the monarchy’s contempt and disregard for the working and middle classes. We’ve endured a decade of austerity while they’ve merrily drained the public purse to maintain their lavish lifestyles.
And as well as being a danger on the roads, they’re a danger to the workers’ movement. The reserve powers they formally hold allow the government to circumvent democracy in an ’emergency’ to defend capitalist rule.
The monarchy must be abolished. There’s no place for such a feudal relic on the road to socialism!
Peasant v pheasants
Another driver near the queen’s Sandringham Estate now alleges a royal gamekeeper called him a “peasant” and beat him with a stick after he complained that a pheasant shoot was blocking the road. We are not amused.
What we saw
The Beefeaters are on the march! (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)
Workers at the Historic Royal Palaces are striking against attempts to downgrade their pensions. Members of civil service union PCS and general union GMB walked out in December and again this month. Even the ex-military Beefeaters – keepers of the crown jewels – have had enough!
