Comments on: Empressed….

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:14:35 +0000

Though I always desfine myself as a republican, being Spain a ‘kingdom’ we are more used to seeing (not necessarily meeting) the royal family members. The funny thing about them is that they keep ‘breaking protocol’ every time they show themselves in public as a way, in my opinion, to look more accessible and closer to their people. I have always thought it is a very well studied technique, but people here just go mad about the whole thing and try to shake their hands or kiss them. Last summer I had the opportunity to meet one of the Spanish King’s cousings and her husband (a very well know writer, embassador and ex-TV presenter) at a Buddhist meeting in France, and against all my expectations, they were absolutely friendly, warm and normal, so much for my ‘working class’ prejudices. I was trying to avoid the situation, but I was introduced to the husband and at the very beginning I felt very tense not knowing what to say and after that I felt very tense trying to answer his questions properly….I can’t say I enjoyed the experince very much, but it was quite interesting. Anyway, the funniest thing was that they ended up sitting on chairs in the garden with all of us (Spanish group) and not many of us talikng to them because, I guess, we all felt the same way: what to say…They must feel lonely sometimes.

By: Hiromi

Hiromi — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:17:09 +0000

It’s a provocative convergence of the relational, historical and personal, isn’t it! And the framing of time….

By: Edward

Edward — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:44:16 +0000

What a lovely reflection! I am reminded of a less meaningful experience back in 1986 or so, when I attended a state dinner for youth with Prince Charles and Princess Diana. As I recall, the most stressful aspect of it was the embargo on cigarette smoking in Her Royal Presence, an inconvenience that seemed challenging at the time. Alas, I did not shake any hands; the most intimate my interaction got was when the dysfunctional duo walked past my table and I felt the shift of wind currents as they breezed on by. How bizarre it must be to be the object of attention so continuously.