Posted on 05/28/2009 9:12:50 AM PDT by reaganaut1
Queen Elizabeth is not amused.
Indeed, she is decidedly displeased, angry even, that she was not invited to join President Obama and France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy, next week at commemorations of the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, according to reports published in Britain’s mass-circulation tabloid newspapers on Wednesday. Pointedly, Buckingham Palace did not deny the reports.
The queen, who is 83, is the only living head of state who served in uniform during World War II. As Elizabeth Windsor, service number 230873, she volunteered as a subaltern in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service, training as a driver and a mechanic. Eventually, she drove military trucks in support roles in England.
While serving, she met the supreme Allied commander for the D-Day landings, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, and developed a fondness for him, according to several biographies. This prompted Queen Elizabeth, who was crowned in June 1953, to say in later years that he was the American president with whom she felt most at ease.
But on June 6, when Mr. Obama and Mr. Sarkozy attend commemorations at the iconic locations associated with the American D-Day assault — Utah Beach, the town of Ste.-Mère-Église, where the first United States paratroopers landed, and the American war cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer — the highest-ranking British representative will be Prime Minister Gordon Brown. His main role will be at ceremonies at the town of Arromanches, near the beaches where British troops landed.
How the queen came to be excluded has become entangled in a thicket of diplomatic missteps, or misunderstandings, depending on whether the account is given in London or Paris.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I am no monarchy lover..but this has all the signs of the great French inferiority complex. The French track record in battle is generally pitiful..and in WWII pales to nothing compared to the US/UK efforts.
Refusing to let their fleet join with the British right after they had surrendered was typical French.. and never to be forgotten in our history.
Queen Liz is not a bad person and is very well respected for her efforts during the war. I was a civilian during the bombing raids and it was no fun at all..sitting in a shelter waiting for the next bomb was bad enough.. but driving around bombed out streets with the wounded must have been a nightmare.
I hope British servicemen refuse to attend this poxy French gathering and leave them to bask in their own crappy glory.
We need no smarmy, supercilious French President to help us remember the heroes who stormed the beaches to liberate his pathetic country.
As for the “Mr Wonderful” you guys elected as President.. why he seems to be hell bent on insulting the Brits I have no idea. We may not always agree with you guys but I hope we remain good friends for all that.
With the way things are shaping up in Korea the boy genius might soon find he needs all the friends he can get!
No. Oprah.
Never happen.
Unless, of course, they breed an Iraqi Ataturk.
Her personal qualities and even her own war record, fine as they are, are irrelevant. The countries of which she happens to be Head of State together committed even more troops to the Normandy landings than did the United States: and for that reason alone her presence should be beyond question.
No more so than when draftdodger 'slick willy' visited Omaha beach on the 50th anniversary. For a photo-op the bent one walked out on the sandy/clay beach in a contrived reflective mood knelt and placed stones (conveniently made available beforehand) in the form of a cross ... to symbolize the headstones in the U.S. military cemetery on the bluffs above the beach.
I just thought it was because Barry O'Bama was Irish.
Well, if shes so bright and strong, why hasn’t she said a *single word* against England becoming the epicenter of Socialist/Totalitarian government? Its because she fully agrees with it. Shes clearly in the camp that “government knows whats best for the little people”
Any American president deserves more respect than someone who became a leader by inheritance. An American president at least has to pretend to listen to the citizenry.
That said,,its really pretty tacky that she isnt getting invited.
Now the Brits know how the members of the 303rd Kosciuszko RAF Squadron felt back on VE-Day when Poles were not allowed to march in London’s VE-Day parade, out of fear of offending Uncle Joe.
“It’s got to make her sick to see what’s become of Britain.”
Well we sure never hear her say so. I keep hearing she is very influential. Silence = Agreement.
Kenya...Mau Mau.
I believe that the quote from the Queen (QEII’s mother) was “The children can not leave without me. I can not leave without the King and the King will never leave.”.
It is posts like yours that cause F/R to be held up to ridicule by such MSM personalities as Bill Oreilly. I know you posted this to start a cat fight, but first I think you should compare your life time achievement's compared to The Queens.
Yeah,,,except that she approves of Socialism, power inherited by bloodline, and a society choked by class structure. As a pure political matter, shes not fit to shine Sarah’s shoes.
Make that Sarah’s spike heel pumps.
Uhh, that wasn't me.
Shameful! There would be no D Day without England! The more I learn about that woman the more I realize what a great person she is. She has every right to be pissed!
You sound like an "old school" American, my ancestors that fought and died throwing off the yoke of the British Monarchy would approve.
Evidence?
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