A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
RITING in Tuesday's Daily Herald on " The Queen and the People," Miss Jennie Lee marshals 4, Y r (or so one imagines) the same sort of arguments which prompted Mr. Attlee and his Labour colleagues on the Select Committee to record in the report of the Civil List their desire for " less formality at Court " and " less elaborate ceremonial."' I always wish the doctrinaires would be more specific when they advocate cuts in ceremonial. Which ceremonies or customs would they like to see modified, and in what way ? Did Mr. Attlee, when as Prime Minister he entertained distinguished visitors from the Dominions or from foreign countries, succeed in so adapting the scale or the style of his hospitality as to serve the ends of either economy or egalitarianism, or both, and if so how did he do it without risking offence to the susceptibilities of his guests ? Would Socialists be happier if débutantes were excused from curtsey- ing, or Ambassadors encouraged to mix their own salad dressing ? It might clear the air, and save the tedious iteration of parrot-cries, if they made specific recommendations for increases of informality at Court.
Previous page
