Feigning non-interest while being deeply interested

That relationship is showing up in the lead-up to Friday’s big Royal event.

Officially and publicly, no one is really excited. There are still complaints about the cost and effect on business and the economy of the extra one-day holiday.

Only a few people publicly say they will be spending the day ‘Royal watching’.

The Royal Wedding souvenirs don’t seem to be flying off the shelves.

And the media, from the BBC to the English print media seem to have taken a watchful attitude with daily references that have something to do with the Royal event, but still do not ooh and aah over the planned nuptials.

But the media are still following it.

Polls have shown about 60 per cent of people said they would watch the wedding and pageantry.

The BBC say they anticipate more than 20 per cent of the world’s population will tune in to the live ceremony.

So clearly, despite attempts to downplay or denigrate, there is strong interest in the Royal event.

That’s the peculiarity of the English psyche. Feigning non-interest whilst being deeply interested.

Wrong-footed

Twice in the past fifteen years, the British press has been wrong-footed.

The first time was over the 1998 death of Princess Diana. Then, the outpouring of sympathy for her by the British and the world caught the press editors off-guard.

They worked fast and hard to catch up with and then accurately reflect the public mood.

The second time was over the Queen’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2002.

In the lead-up, the press played down the significance of the occasion and asked many questions about the value, worth and need for the Royals.

But on the day the crowds turned out, flags appeared, street parties took place, and the Mall was filled with hundreds of thousands of flag-waving ‘God Save the Queen’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’-singing Brits — and probably quite a few others as well.

Again, the press scurried to catch up with and accurately reflect the popular mood as genuinely expressed on that day and over that period.

Hearing an English football crowd made up of face-painted beer-filled yobs belt out a remarkably synchronized version of ‘God save the Queen’ at a major football game involving England and some other country says that the peculiar bond between the Royals and the ordinary Brit is real and strong — despite what the official Republicans, Socialists, and general naysayers passionately articulate.

Celebrate

It is noticeable that the Brits have rejected the Euro and have kept their money with their Monarch’s head on it; that they still drive on the left; and are really upset by some of the rulings the EU want to see in place in the UK. So the Brits are staying British.

According to the Daily Mail and other Brit media, there will be over 5,000 street parties in England.

There will be many dress-up events where Brits will dress for the occasion while watching some big screen TV.

In all, on the day, it seems that Brits will simply do what they have always done in the past.

Turn up, turn out, and show their true feelings; but they’ll do it without telegraphing their real emotions in the way that Americans tend to do.

Royal Wedding day will probably be another occasion when the Brits celebrate themselves and their Royal Family with whom they have a unique and special relationship.