A claret to toast the Queen – and forget the Prime Minister

It was an extraordinary weekend. The various spectacles had something for all tastes: pageantry on Horse Guards; solemnity in St Paul’s; the street party of all street parties on the Mall. And there was also food for thought. What does this tell us about the monarchy, and about Britain?

I discussed it with a French friend, abetted by some moderately serious claret. We agreed that France was a monarchy masquerading as a republic; Spain, a republic pretending to be a monarchy. As for Britain, the monarchy is as secure as it has ever been.

The evolution of British institutions regularly refutes Our Lord Himself. It is possible to put new wine into old bottles. Ancient forms change, but the best changes are imperceptible, as they also ought to be when it comes to an ancient building. If some stonework has to be replaced, if parts of the roof need renewing, make the repairs in such a way that nobody notices.