...Anyone Enjoy the Trooping?

[Guest]

...I watched the Highlights this Evening- Good standard mostly. I'm amazed the Duke of Edinburgh STILL wears that hideous uniform & Bearskin at 90! And in case
anyone thought it easier to be on horseback for the Trooping I can assure you it is
AGONY! (Those Household Cavalry Helmets are said not to fit unless you have a headache- and those blue jockey hats are not much better in the sun!)

[Pianorak]

. . . that hideous uniform . . .

Not half as hideous as that G & S costume (from Berman Theatrical Costumiers?) the Earl of Wessex was wearing.

[Freddie Campbell]

...Agreed!

[scottycelt]

I thought it was a marvellous spectacle , Freddie, but, then, I've always been a Royalist (even though the current lot are a bunch of imposters) rather than belong to the lowest common denomination that is Republicanism ...

Also, don't you think Her Majesty looks so happy and relaxed these days?

[Petrushka]

I watched this on the BBC Red Button channel 301 on Freeview mercifully without the commentary and pointless cut-aways to Afghanistan and elsewhere which so disfigure the BBC1 coverage. Bliss to listen to the music without the twitterings of Huw Edwards and Clare Balding. I'm normally a huge fan of both but prefer not to have them at Horse Guards.

Can we now have the Remembrance Sunday broadcast at the Cenotaph done the same way please?

[Freddie Campbell]

...Scotty- Yes! I've done the Trooping(as you probably know)&am also a Royalist.I'm just amazed the Queen & Duke continue to look so well on it all!

[mangerton]

Great spectacle, faultlessly performed - and of course it is now just a performance - spoiled by the oily edwards and the superfluous balding.

But what a waste of public money! Hundreds of soldiers, (I thought we were short of soldiers) pretty uniforms, lots of musicians, and all those horses. We can't afford aeroplanes for the aircraft carriers we're building, but we're paying men to play saxophones and bassoons while riding horses.

Really, you could not make it up.

[Freddie Campbell]

...Well as Claire indicated they are ALL Soldiers now! And I would submit Trooping & Changing the Guard bring in considerable revenue from Tourists etc.(Actually the Parades give Soldiers pride,purpose,discipline & order where Irak & Afghanistan do not!)

[Pianorak]

Don't misunderstand – I too support the Monarchy as an institution, but was bemused to see that probably after years of headscratching They have come up with a uniform to which the Earl of Wessex might be entitled. Pleased to see HM and The Duke of Edinburgh looking so well. But all of HM's subjects aged 85 and 90 would probably look as sprightly if fed and looked after as well as HM and the Duke.

[Freddie Campbell]

PS-Bassoons,Horns,Oboes & some other Instruments CANNOT be Played on Horseback-too dangerous!

[mangerton]

PS-Bassoons,Horns,Oboes & some other Instruments CANNOT be Played on Horseback-too dangerous!

From wikipedia:

Composition of British Army mounted bands
1 Drum Horse (with Timpani)
State Cavalry Trumpeters
Tubas
Trombones
Cornets
Euphoniums
Horns
Saxophones, Bassoons
Flutes and Piccolos
Clarinets and Oboes

Now, I know that wikipedia is not by any means infallible, but the reason I mentioned bassoons is that I saw one on the TV last night, and I had to suspend my disbelief.

[mangerton]

...Well as Claire indicated they are ALL Soldiers now! And I would submit Trooping & Changing the Guard bring in considerable revenue from Tourists etc.(Actually the Parades give Soldiers pride,purpose,discipline & order where Irak & Afghanistan do not!)

Yes, I thought someone would bring up the tourist chestnut. I remain to be convinced that many people visit just to look at Changing the Guard.

Your comment about Parades beggars belief. Do you really think that our forces - land, sea and air - only demonstrate the qualities of "pride, purpose, discipline and order" because of events like yesterday's?

How on earth do you think they manage in Iraq and Afghanistan, and managed in many other theatres in the past, without exhibiting discipline and order?

[MrGongGong]

I always find it a bit odd that people go on about how "faultless" these occasions are when I seem to be seeing something else ?

If one suspends the whole "its the British Army and we are the best in the world", fantasy for a moment and maybe look at how other people do the kind of synchronised performance that this is
for example ..........

(low quality i know)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx1eXAaDj0Q&feature=related

or Mark Morris's choreography

one can see that the British Army seems to be rather sloppy

so is the only way to be good at this kind of thing to be either

a: in a repressive dictatorship where the penalty for split notes is exile for all your family for five generations ?

or

b: a dancer and totally dedicated to that and nothing else (1 rice cake only now )




(this is not meant to be taken entirely seriously !!!!!!)

[Mary Chambers]

pretty uniforms, lots of musicians, and all those horses. We can't afford aeroplanes for the aircraft carriers we're building, but we're paying men to play saxophones and bassoons while riding horses.

Shows surprisingly good taste, I'd have thought........

[Stunsworth]

The Duke of Edinburgh had a chest full of medals. He must have seen a lot of action.