While browsing the news headlines today with the kind of vague disinterest that comes with having just finished exams and discovering the meaning of spare (ahem) time once again, I noticed an article entirely devoted to commentary on Julia Gillard (the Australian Prime Minister) choosing not to curtsy to the Queen when she greeted her at the beginning of her visit to Australia. I need to add a disclaimer now, that I’ve only read one or two articles on this, am tired, and not particularly interested, so this rant is really just a reaction rant. I haven’t necessarily solidified my opinion on this, and chances are I’ll read it later and completely regret blundering into this headfirst. Oh well.
My first reaction to the article was pretty much a whopping big “who cares?”. And I really don’t understand why it’s such a big deal. According to this reporter, twitter has been arguing about it and slamming Julia Gillard since it happened, (although I wouldn’t know, because I neglect my twitter account in favour of the highly addictive tumblr), and the media has just generally been attacking Julia (yep, I’m on first name basis with the PM) for her decision not to curtsy.
Perhaps I’m being all stubborn and teenaged, but I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal. Sure, it’s traditional to curtsy to the Queen. Do we live in a monarchy? Absolutely not. Is the Queen any more than a distant figurehead to Australia, barely crossing our minds unless she decides to come down under for a visit? Absolutely. The Queen remains, for Australians, rather arbitrary. She doesn’t have a role in the running of our country. She has a representative here who wields any authority attributed to her. She is, in essence, and without meaning to offend anyone, little more than a figurehead, a reminder of Australia’s British past, only remaining in our increasingly independent society due to a lack of conscious decision to sever ties, rather than any deep-rooted feeling of allegience to Britain and its royalty.
That said, of course she deserves respect. I firmly believe that she deserves respect – just as much respect as would be afforded to a visiting leader from her country, or the highest ranking foreign politician, or the most esteemed dignitary. It’s a poor comparison, of course, as the Queen does not actually play any significant role in the running of the United Kingdom (Queendom, anyone?), but the Australian Prime Minister wouldn’t be expected to curtsy or bow to Barack Obama should he visit. Julia Gillard, as far as I’ve heard, did all that should be expected of her. She was polite and welcoming. She greeted the Queen, she shook her hand. She chose not to curtsy for whatever reason – perhaps, as some are plotting, it was to demonstrate that she is passionately supportive of the movement to dissolve all ties with Britain. Maybe she’s an extremely proud feminist who finds the act of curtsying a rather subservient and demeaning action, and given the awkwardness of bowing instead, chose to just greet the Queen. Maybe, like me, she thinks that some of the etiquette and customs of our society are utter bollocks, and that bobbing down to acknowledge the presence of someone who is, in essence, human, and really deserves no special treatment for her mere presence, is absolutely ridiculous. I really don’t know. But I don’t think she was doing something heinously wrong in refraining from curtsying, and I don’t think it’s fair on her to have the media and public quite harshly criticising her for her decision.
In the end, the Queen has plenty of people bow to her all day, and doubtless at some point, if not already, Julia will have time to have a quick chat with her and clear up any misconceptions that might have caused her to take offence. And if after that, she’s still offended, she’ll get over it, just like any other human has to when they’re offended. If I were the Queen, though, I’d be stoked with Julia actually treating me like a human being, rather than an exquisite doll to be photographed and raved about while bodyguards and thousands of subservient, bobbing and curtsying observers crowd around.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a good rant, hasn’t it? I’d say I hope I haven’t offended anyone with this post, but the chance of anyone actually reading it is slim enough to render that possibility near nonexistent. If, however, you have bothered to read this and are in possession of a functional, well-oiled opinion (hard to come by, these days), then by all means leave me a comment and let me know if I’m being an idiot, or if it’s time we all stopped curtsying the Queen.