For Queen and Country

The other day I was having a conversation with someone who used the expression "menials". "What do you mean, menials," says I.

"The menials do the ordinary housework that the courtiers won't touch."

So what do the courtiers do?

Well, today comes the answer: they let the world know that the Queen is, how do they put it, not amused by the Archbishop and his calls for Sharia:

According to a royal source, the Queen has not expressed any view on whether Dr Rowan Williams was unwise to say it was "unavoidable" that aspects of the sharia legal system could be incorporated into English law.

But as Supreme Governor of the Church of England she has been dismayed by the controversy that the remarks have generated at such a difficult period in the history of the Established Church, which faces possible schism over the issue of homosexual clergy.

The Queen, who approved the appointment of Dr Williams on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, takes her role as Supreme Governor very seriously.

One royal source said: "I have no idea what her view is on what the Archbishop said about sharia law. But the Queen is worried, coming at such a difficult time in the Church's history, that the fallout may sap the authority of the Church."
[...]
Another royal courtier said: "The whole thing has not been skilfully handled. It can only have undermined the authority of the Church."

A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment.

H/T Up Pompeii who argues:

Statements such as this do not get issued lightly and the words used go much further than a critique of the Archbishop, this is a clear indication that HRH is not happy at all with the Islamic presence in the UK.

HRH is obviously aware of the crisis within her realm and she has now broken her silence, we can only hope for more of the same.

We were happy to note last week that the Royal Family is granting the use of Windsor Castle for a special dinner to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. Again, the speculation is that the Queen is sending the British government a message on what values it should be upholding.

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