I lied. I had to post this before getting cracking on my U.S. government class.

The week of Dec. 24th, 2007 saw HM Elizabeth II surpass Queen Victoria to become Britain’s longest-living monarch.

It is an historic time, but also a time for criticism, apparently. At least if you’re David Starkey.

Starkey, a well-known royal historian who has been declared “The Rudest Man In Britain”, recently commented on the Queen in the Guardian.

“I think she’s got elements a bit like Goebbels in her attitude to culture,” Starkey told the republican newspaper. “…I suppose it’s this absence of any kind of, to be blunt, serious education.”

The interview with Starkey, unimaginatively titled “The Queen and I” , refers to the days of King George V who changed the family name to Windsor, shifting them away from their German connections and giving them more of an “English” look. George V’s changes helped keep the monarchy running, and Starkey insinuates that if the Queen doesn’t do something just as ground-breaking in her family, all will turn to choking dust and disappear on the wind. First up: get a “serious” education for Her Majesty.

Starkey even suggests that the monarchy should remove itself from the Church of England and – contrary to many opinions – look to Prince Charles as their best hope for survival.

Read his interview, then send me your thoughts via email or comment here at the blog!

So, is he to be called David “Snarkey” now, or do you agree with him?

I started an online course in the study of U.S. government. It is intensive and lasts only three weeks with essays, tests, and discussions every single day. So that means my posting here will be very limited. In other words, non-existant.

My planned upload of my royal collection has been put on the back burner for now, but expect that to be seen in early February. And don’t worry about a January commentary at August Annotations – Miss Jerramy Fine has that all under control! She is my guest writer and a total godsend!

Jerramy is the author of “Someday My Prince Will Come: True Adventures of a Wannabe Princess”. Raised by hippies in Western Colorado, Jerramy went to England in pursuit of her true love – the now-betrothed Peter Phillips.

She didn’t marry Peter, but her life and her book are full of the wonderful adventures she’s had by trying to meet him. On the shelves January 10th, 2008.

I wish you all health and happiness in 2008. Thanks for being a part of Mandy’s British Royalty.

The Queen’s Christmas Message 2007

Did I leave YouTube.com too soon?

Her Majesty has just started her own video channel at the popular YouTube website, located at “The Royal Channel”.

Always abreast of the current communication trends, the Queen gives us never-before-seen videos – her parents’ wedding – and other silent clips as well as Christmas broadcasts and more.

Her first Christmas message in 1957 was a landmark for its time, as it was broadcast on the new medium of television. Now in 2008, we have Her Majesty on the internet, iPod, and more for the world to see. God Bless you, Ma’am!

Photographers snapped several photos of the Queen during her meeting with George Tupov V, the King of Tonga. The pictures reveal a large bruise on the side of the Queen’s neck, which the Palace does not explain but rather brushes aside.

“She’s got a slight bruise. She’s just knocked it. It’s nothing to worry about.”

You’ve got to hand it to the folks running the press office at Buck House. They (and Her Maj especially) know how to keep a stiff upper lip. The Queen could be carrying her head in her hand, and her spokesman would simply say, “She’s just knocked it. It’s nothing to worry about. It just came off…”

The names chosen by The Earl and Countess of Wessex for their son are James Alexander Philip Theo.

The baby takes the title of Viscount Severn. Photo is © Press Association