Chess: Queen to First Lady - Check
 

What is it with touching the Royal Family anyway? Time to update to the 21st century I think.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/04/02...een/index.html

"Mrs. Queen, tear down that wall!" :D

It is called "stroking en passant".

While I find the whole thing trite and silly there is such a thing as tradition.

I heard the queen made the first touch:hmmm: Michele touch back and said, 'You're it!'

A very fortunate lady....but which one? :DL

Jim, you hail from that area, what is the deal about not touching a royal?

Simple old school protocol. Can;t turn your back on either. Gotta leave a room backwards. All very silly. Somehow I get the impression the Queen thinks so, too....

I think it's more surprising that Phillip didn't put his foot in it :haha:

From what I've heard of the Queen she's quite a modern monarch and isn't particularly fussed about tradition but has to keep to such things to avoid scandals and suchlike. Phillip, as much of a foot-in-mouth chap that he is, is also meant to be quite a laugh off the record. :salute:

Pretty much as described Enigma and Oberon.

The same is true of the Gurkha soldier apparently.....their British officers aren't allowed to point at them or touch them.

I know one thing though.......she must be sick of the smell of fresh paint, because no matter where she visits, you can bet it was painted the day before :DL

Huh... kinda like being on a ship.

I bet Jim. You know, if you think about it, the queen has seen and been through a lot over the years. She is in my view, living history. I'm suspecting at her age, some protocal can right out the window. In the end, what will it matter to her anyway? Not a whole heck of a lot I'm guessing.

There is a growing lobby reckon she is too old now and should take it easy, retire.....give the throne to big ears.

I've met her on a few occasions (not really up close....say, 20 feet or so) and always got the impression she wasn't as stiff upper lip as some people would hve you believe.

IMO she is a truly remarkable lady/monarch and far more appealing than the questionnable politicians who govern on her behalf.

http://hillbuzz.files.wordpress.com/...lizabethii.jpg

I would have to agree and I'm willing to bet she could keep me spell bound with some of stories of her experiences in life. Big ears...to funny. Perhaps you think she is really an end of an era when big ears does take over? I'm thinking so.

Read of the day:

Alan Bennett: The Uncommon Reader

Got the German translation as a birthday present this year. Usually I hate books as presents, because almost always I do not like the books I've been given. But this I read from A to Z in two evenings. It is nothing special, really - it just is wonderfully relaxed.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Uncommon-Rea...8782514&sr=8-3