You Couldn’t Make It Up department (1): HRHarpists
The Times, July 15, 2004
The Prince of Wales later received Miss Catrin Finch, outgoing Harpist to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and Miss Jemima Phillips, newly appointed Harpist to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.
As I say, you couldn’t make it up.
Brian
www.barder.com/brian/
The harp being the national instrument of Wales, I wondered whether this was really as silly as it seemed. On the Prince’s web site:
http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/news/2004/07.jul/harpist.php
I found:
‘The post of Official Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales was reinstated in 2000 to help celebrate and foster musical talent in Wales and the UK and to raise the profile of the harp as an instrument.’
In other words, it’s a worthy musical scholarship, though dressed up with a fancy royal title. Not much wrong with that, I feel.
Peter
Nothing “wrong” with it, I agree, although I still (perhaps childishly) find it funny — less so, of course, after you have deconstructed it. Anyway, long live the royal harpists.
Brian
The problem is that Charles is utterly incapable of behaving normally. If he announced this year’s Prince of Wales Harp Award with a lot of guff about encouraging Welsh music, everyone would say what a good thing it was. But he has to dress it up in some pseudo-medieval flummery so that it sounds ridiculous.
It is telling that the title Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales focuses on people serving the Prince, who is presented as the centre of attention. My suggestion would turn the position around, with the Prince serving the people — as it should be in a democracy.
Peter
By any criteria you choose, this item just has to go into the “You Couldn’t Make It Up� department.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/strategy/futureoftransport/statement.htm
and
http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstrat/documents/page/dft_transstrat_503943.hcsp#P15_4990
I’m sure the Soviet Union did not wise up to this one. In 2000 you spend a fortune on a 10-year transport plan. When it becomes clear four later the whole thing is a mess you just start again with another plan.