Queen's fury as Bush goons wreck garden

Sunday Mirror ^ | Nov 23, 2003 | Terry O'Hanlon

[plain talk]

THE Queen is furious with President George W. Bush after his state visit caused thousands of pounds of damage to her gardens at Buckingham Palace. Royal officials are now in touch with the Queen's insurers and Prime Minister Tony Blair to find out who will pick up the massive repair bill. Palace staff said they had never seen the Queen so angry as when she saw how her perfectly-mantained lawns had been churned up after being turned into helipads with three giant H landing markings for the Bush visit.

The rotors of the President's Marine Force One helicopter and two support Black Hawks damaged trees and shrubs that had survived since Queen Victoria's reign. And Bush's army of clod-hopping security service men trampled more precious and exotic plants. The Queen's own flock of flamingoes, which security staff insisted should be moved in case they flew into the helicopter rotors, are thought to be so traumatised after being taken to a "place of safety" that they might never return home.

The historic fabric of the Palace was also damaged as high-tech links were fitted for the US leader and his entourage during his three-day stay with the Queen. The Palace's head gardener, Mark Lane, was reported to be in tears when he saw the scale of the damage.

"The Queen has every right to feel insulted at the way she has been treated by Bush," said a Palace insider. "The repairs will cost tens of thousands of pounds but the damage to historic and rare plants will be immense. They are still taking an inventory.

"The lawns are used for royal garden parties and are beautifully kept. But 30,000 visitors did not do as much damage as the Americans did in three days. "Their security people and support staff tramped all over the place and left an absolute mess. It is particularly sad because the Queen Mother loved to wander in the garden just as the Queen and Prince Charles do now.

"Some of the roses, flowers and shrubs damaged are thought to be rare varieties named after members of the Royal Family and planted by the Queen Mother and Queen. "Other Royals had their own favourite parts of the garden as children and some of those areas have been damaged."

The Queen's insurers have told her she is covered for statues, garden furniture and plants she personally owns, but the bill for repairing damage to the lawns and the structure of the Palace will probably have to be picked up by the Government.

The Americans made alterations to accommodate specialised equipment. The mass of gadgetry meant the Royals couldn't get a decent TV picture during the visit.

[prairiebreeze]

OH NOOOO!! Not shrubbery comments!! Not flesh wound comments!! AACK!! Now you've done it!

Prairie

[TheBigB]

They shoulda listened to Je$$e when he said "STAY OUT DA BUSHES!!"

[Indie]

The Palace's head gardener, Mark Lane, was reported to be in tears when he saw the scale of the damage...
..and was heard yelling: "Why that big plant-hating, bird-scaring bully!! I'd slap his firm buttocks if he was here right now! What am I going to do at night now that my Flamingos are gone! I've been totally violated.

[Old Professer]

Did anyone else watch the Simpson's last night?

[trebb]

This is a buncha bull-twaddle. The Mirror is just an anti-Bush tabloid. This is as real as Elvis's alien love-child

For sure - unless the Queen is an absolute idiot, she knew and authorized all the security arrangements that had to be made. Having an American President killed while on a visit she initiated would be the real pits for Britain. Not to mention how most of us Americans would feel about it.

[retrokitten]

LOL! Yes! It was the best one in quite sometime.

[Ichneumon]

Presuming this is true (*cough*), how are Bush and his people responsible for the fact that some stupid Brit painted the "land here" markers in the middle of the bloody garden?

[cubreporter]

Nor do I. First of all if those spaces were reserved for the helicopters to land...anyone with HALFA BRAIN would know the grass might be damaged so why would they approve it?

Second of all, GWB is not the type to do something like that in the first place and...if it was true he would make it right.

It's an outright attempt to smear Bush but it won't work. The man has character, remember? What a doofus who wrote this article.

[Drammach]

I doubt very much whether any of this article is true.

The very idea that the Queen and royal family are not as well protected, security-wise, as the POTUS is ridiculous.
I am quite sure the helicopters landed in the exact same landing area(s) that are used by the royal family, that security arrangements were probably confined to incorporating secret service liaison into the existing security installations, etc..

There would be no need for "special" arrangements to be made, security-wise, in what is probably one of the most secure environments in the British Kingdom.

[Sender]

I don't buy this Mirror crap for a second. If there were any damage from helicopters, they should blame the shameful leftist protesters who prevented the President from simply driving there in a car because the streets were full of violent hooligans. 'Tis the British left who has damaged the garden. Send the bill to Ken Livingstone.

[Bars4Bill]

The Palace's head gardener, Mark Lane, was reported to be in tears when he saw the scale of the damage.

Awwwww. Did we muss his pwetty hair?

[Steve_Seattle]

"Royal officials . . . Palace staff . . . Palace insiders . . . "

Notice how none of these quotes are attributed to an identifiable person. I would not be surprised if the entire story was fabricated. The Left was infuriated that Bush presented himself so well over there, so they're going to try to find some way to make him look bad even after he's gone.

[EggsAckley]

IMO, this news rag is USING Queen Elizabeth to push forward their Bush hatred. They owe her an apology for this smarmy article.

[WVNan]

ROTFLOL. Thanks for the laugh.

[Ditto]

Off with their heads!

[miloklancy]

After the revolution, she should consider herself lucky, that our President doesn't demand she be presented to him in chains. I would.

[Terriergal]

Royal officials are now in touch with the Queen's insurers and Prime Minister Tony Blair to find out who will pick up the massive repair bill.

How about the people who did it? I have a hard time believing the Queen would be angry with Bush for those hoodlums' behavior. They're HER people after all.

[usedtolurk]

I believe that this article was the Mirror's attempt at satire. The title was called "Farce 1" or something like that.

[yankeedame]

LOL!!!

[redhead]

"LOL. Queen mum got her panties in a bunch."

She's not the "Queen Mum" yet. Not until one of her children is on the throne.