Monday, January 18, 2010

The Prince and the Porpoise

I saw this guy today, name of Bill Windsor. According to the law of the land, this young bloke has been ordained by god as the second in line to be New Zealand's Head of State. Not just any god either, but the Church of England god. His Nana is our current Head of State.

Now don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Prince William personally. We not only share a first name, but are both embedded in wildly dysfunctional families, including one dead parent. So I can feel for the guy. Hell, we'd both be at home sitting around the peace pipe as well, or is that just Harry?

Nevertheless, I was compelled this morning to attend his opening of the new Supreme Court building and protest for the Republican Movement. This is not to be confused with the NZ Republican Party, half of which were also present - all three of them - across the road from where our larger and more diffuse protest was based.

It was all a bit touch and go for a while. Early morning fog around Wellington and its airport had refused to fog off, and Prince William's plane dawdled above the city waiting for a gap in the mist. The delay tempted a gaggle of Brit journalists off from their perch on the steps of the court and over to check on this whole Republican Movement business.

Although Lewis Holden couldn't be there in person, the Republican Movement secretary Mike Smith handled it all very professionally. Strangely enough, no NZ MSM took the opportunity to show any curiosity in the cause except a few cameras, art for the words. Nope, I lie. There was one media attendee who made their support known. Nice.

His Highness finally turns up in a flashing motorcade of Holdens. Formalities are performed and in he goes. And that's it for another day of peaceful protest.

And now, here's Moko the friendly dolphin. Not so much a porpoise, more like an aquatic Skippy the bush kangaroo: