Thursday, 04 February, 2010
 | Royalty |
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It’s been a bit of a Royal week for us all in North Wiltshire. It was great to see HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, or just “Camilla” as she is known to local people at the 60th Birthday event for Age Concern Wiltshire on Wednesday. They are a great organisation doing important and sometimes difficult work, which was marked and celebrated by the Duchess’s presence.
Then, of course, as has been extensively reported, she and the Prince of Wales were back in Wootton Bassett on Friday to thank the people of that wonderful town for the way in which they support our armed services by paying respects to the returning bodies of servicemen. There was something absolutely magical about the deluge of snow which landed on us all just as they were laying their wreaths.
It was a unique honour for the town to see the two of them wander down the High Street, stopping off for a drink in the Cross Keys which has done such great work supporting the bereaved families, and then dropping into the Conservative Club to chat to so many local people. The whole event was very much in the spirit of Wootton Bassett- no ceremony, no pomposity. Just two very special Royals quietly thanking the people of this very special town for what they do so well.
I don’t think I am breaking any confidences when I report the Prince’s brief remarks to me when I was presented: - HRH: “Hear you’ve been seeing a lot of my wife lately?” MP: “Yes, Sir. It was great to see her at the Age Concern Party on Wednesday at RAF Lyneham.” HRH “Ah yes, Lyneham. Got to keep it open. Keep up the good work.” MP: “I promise to keep fighting for it, Sir.” Hmm…. I’m not sure that the excellent new Station Commander who was standing beside me liked what he heard!! It was a simply wonderful visit and a huge honour for the town, which will without doubt go down in its annals.
The visit exactly coincided with Mr Blair’s evidence to the Chilcott Inquiry. Sounded like pure spin to me, at which Mr Blair is an unequalled expert. There was an irony that at the precise moment that Their Royal Highnesses were thanking the people of Wootton Bassett for what they do, Mr Blair was twisting and turning to try to avoid any personal blame, seeking to justify the unjustifiable without anyone knowing he was doing it, trying to obliterate the memory of the many servicemen’s bodies which had been carried down that very High Street.
I simply cannot understand Republicans. The Royal family do wonderful work being the true leaders of the Nation without fear or favour. They have their influence – like the prince’s off-the-cuff remark to me about RAF Lyneham – but rise above the hubbub. Their presence at an event like the Age Concern party or so many others in this area is so vastly more important than it would be if, for example, we had a President. If that were the case, it might well have been President Blair. But he couldn’t have come to Bassett because he’d have been too busy with Chilcott. We should thank and respect our magnificent Royal family - ours would be a vastly poorer nation without them.
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