Friday, April 13, 2018

Faith & Trees & Queen Elizabeth

Image result for queen elizabeth goes to church
 
Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl,
But she doesn't have a lot to say
Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl
But she changes from day to day
I want to tell her that I love her a lot
But I gotta get a bellyful of wine

Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl
Someday I'm going to make her mine, oh yeah,
Someday I'm going to make her mine.
 
Her Majesty The Beatles Abbey Road 1969

The Queen of the British Isles and the Commonwealth, Elizabeth II likes trees. I did not know that until recently. Mind you, I can't say I know a lot about our monarch. She seems like a pretty nice queen, but she doesn't have a lot to say. Mind you, the film The Queen and the series The Crown have offered intriguing perspectives on the longest reigning monarch in British history, but they are guesstimates of her private life, not authorized biographies. I do know she has a killer art collection.

And, Queen Elizabeth is a Christian and a church-goer. It helps that she has her own chapels at various residences and she is also Supreme Governor of the Church of England because of that Henry VIII break-with-Rome kerfuffle. I like that she has the role of "defender of the faith." I picture her smiting a heretic with one of her church hats. Image result for queen's commonwealth canopy

Back to the trees. Queen Elizabeth has been involved in planting trees for quite a while, although I can't imagine her tromping around in her wellies with spade in hand. There is also an international tree conservation project in her name. Her Majesty says “I have been especially touched by one such project, The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, which has been proposed by Commonwealth countries wanting to harness their collective expertise and resources to protect the world’s forests.” https://queenscommonwealthcanopy.org/

Image result for great bear rainforest

Amongst those forests is the astonishing Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia.

I do appreciate that Her Royal Highness has blue blood and a green tinge. I wish I could see the documentary which will be broadcast in the UK next Monday called The Queen’s Green Planet. She chats with Sir David Attenborough, who is environmental royalty,  in the garden of Buckingham Palace. Apparently she jokes about Donald Trump!

I'm really not a monarchist but I'd like to think that there is a connection between Elizabeth's faith and her care for the planet. We know there is for her aging heir, Prince Charles.

Now I want the dirt on whether she plays poker.

What do you think about this? Would it help if Her Majesty gave up a castle or two for the environmental cause? Does the leadership of a figurehead monarch matter?

Image result for the queen's green planet

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