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Post by Forever Sunshine on May 18, 2012 6:53:23 GMT -5
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Post by Miss Who on May 19, 2012 18:49:00 GMT -5
Very conflicting thoughts on that one, Forever. Gibraltar has been British territory for 300 years, no reason to give it back. Yet we returned Hong Kong to the Chinese, so why not return Gibraltar to Spain? Another thought, how would we feel if Spain owned The Isle Of wight, or The Isle Of Sheppey, or even the Isle Of Mann? Would we be demanding their return to British sovereignty? You bet we would. I don't think Queen Sophia is being unreasonable in not attend the jubilee celebrations, after all if the boot were on the other foot I cant see our Queen attending any celebrations in Spain. Just my thoughts and opinion on that subject, many over here would disagree.
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Post by jackthelad on May 21, 2012 11:44:25 GMT -5
Very conflicting thoughts on that one, Forever. Gibraltar has been British territory for 300 years, no reason to give it back. Yet we returned Hong Kong to the Chinese, so why not return Gibraltar to Spain? Another thought, how would we feel if Spain owned The Isle Of wight, or The Isle Of Sheppey, or even the Isle Of Mann? Would we be demanding their return to British sovereignty? You bet we would. I don't think Queen Sophia is being unreasonable in not attend the jubilee celebrations, after all if the boot were on the other foot I cant see our Queen attending any celebrations in Spain. Just my thoughts and opinion on that subject, many over here would disagree. There is a difference between Gibraltar and Hong Kong, we leased Hong Kong from China, i don't recall the length of the lease, but the lease was up and China would not extend it, we had no alternative to hand Hong Kong back to China, Gibraltar is a different kettle of fish. The Channel Islands are close to France, the French make no claim on them, they belonged to William of Normandy (people will remember him has William the Conqueror) who became William the First of England. I suppose Englnd could claim Normandy has part of the United Kingdom, we have more of a claim on that than Spain has on Gibraltar. |
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Post by Royston Vasey on May 21, 2012 11:52:16 GMT -5
Sad, FS, but she won't be terribly missed.
Go well.
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Post by Royston Vasey on May 21, 2012 11:54:22 GMT -5
Hi Jack,
Exactly. Nice to see you here.
Go well.
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Post by dom on May 21, 2012 11:55:41 GMT -5
There will be enough despots, dictators, war criminals and other horrible barstewards attending to keep it lively.
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Post by jackthelad on May 21, 2012 11:57:02 GMT -5
Queen Sofia turned down the invitation on the advice of the Spanish government, no surprise there, the Spanish government has internal problems so to divert attention from them they start an argument over a Rock, they have done it before. Just like Argentina and the Falkland Islands, Galtiery was having home problems so he invaded the Falklands to draw attention away from those problems. He ended up with a bloody nose and the loss of his job. The present President is having internal problems so she has opened up the same old argument. She does have the common sense not to attack the Falkland military wise, hers are just verbal.
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Post by jonbel on May 22, 2012 12:56:16 GMT -5
You're right about Hong Kong being leased by the UK from China, Jack. The lease was for 99 years, and was then handed back to them. No problems, no arguments.
As far as Queen Sofia not attending the lunch to celebrate our Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch, the advice given to her was more of an order than a request. She is/was a Greek princess and the sister of ex-King Constantine of Greece, who did attend. She's also related to the Duke of Edinburgh, so I don't think she stayed away willingly. It's also rumoured that she and King Juan Carlos are leading separate lives and won't be celebrating their own Golden Wedding. I'm inclined to believe that the state of their marriage had more to do with her absence, and the old "chestnut" about Gibraltar was used to avoid discussion about it.
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Post by isa on May 22, 2012 14:26:00 GMT -5
I thought Hong Kong was nabbed on the back of an opium war and that it was just an island or two which were later held under lease. My knowledge of the matter is minimal though.
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Post by dom on May 22, 2012 14:30:11 GMT -5
Yeh, it suited the British then to get all the Chinese hooked on opium. It was trade then, don't you know.  |
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bach
Not so new Crapster
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Post by bach on May 23, 2012 13:26:26 GMT -5
You're right about Hong Kong being leased by the UK from China, Jack. The lease was for 99 years, and was then handed back to them. No problems, no arguments. As far as Queen Sofia not attending the lunch to celebrate our Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch, the advice given to her was more of an order than a request. She is/was a Greek princess and the sister of ex-King Constantine of Greece, who did attend. She's also related to the Duke of Edinburgh, so I don't think she stayed away willingly. It's also rumoured that she and King Juan Carlos are leading separate lives and won't be celebrating their own Golden Wedding. I'm inclined to believe that the state of their marriage had more to do with her absence, and the old "chestnut" about Gibraltar was used to avoid discussion about it. Who was going to discuss it? Royals often live separate live, I doubt anyone else at the table would be at all surprised by that. The Queen of Spain, like the Queen of England, takes advice from her government on which invitations to accept and which to refuse. This isn't a private affair, which she may well have accepted, but a State invitation. |
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bass
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Post by bass on May 25, 2012 8:02:58 GMT -5
Yeh, it suited the British then to get all the Chinese hooked on opium. It was trade then, don't you know.
But I didn't know that HK was occupied by the Japanese during WW2.
There you go.
Great place to visit and before they built the new airport, the planes would fly in through the high rise apartments. What a ride it was!
About Queen Sofia. Gibraltar is pulled out every few years as a whacking stone. She was told not to go and she didn't.
Although the way the Spanish economy is at the moment, maybe the government couldn't afford to send her.  |
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Post by Royston Vasey on May 25, 2012 10:14:25 GMT -5
LOL.
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Post by jonbel on May 25, 2012 10:51:16 GMT -5
that's That's probably closer to the truth of it. What I find strange though, is the fact that King Juan Carlos's absence has never even been mentioned. He is the King of Spain by right while Queen Sofia is a Consort, and a Greek by birth. |
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Post by jackthelad on May 25, 2012 12:54:53 GMT -5
Wasn't the first Elizibeth responsible for the sinking of the Spanish armada, i think Spain as harboured a long standing grudge against England and Englands royal family ever since, they even backed Napoleon Boneparte against England. They do say that Portugal is Britains oldest friend and supporter, they probably told the Spanish that if they tried anything with them they would get their friend the King/Queen of England to come and kick there butt. We have always rubbed the Spanish noses in it though, we send all our English hooligans and yobs there in the summer on holiday, for six or seven months the Spanish are on tenterhooks.
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bach
Not so new Crapster
%%Calm%%
Posts: 121
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Post by bach on May 25, 2012 12:55:53 GMT -5
Queen Sofia is cousin to Prince Philip, and King Juan Carlos has let it be known that he doesn't wish to attend certain functions - which is why Queen Sofia was at Prince Williams wedding without the King.
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