No British ruler had ever visited Texas, not even a Druid, which may help explain why Stonehenge is shrouded in mystery instead of having songs written about it and people arguing about the best way to defend it like the Alamo.
But in 1991, Queen Elizabeth II came here. She was impressed. She had been presented with some cowboy boots, after all.
She had previously explained the initial scouting report from the British consulate in the Republic of Texas was that we’re “rough and wild,” but doggone it [it’s possible she did not use the term, “doggone”], our courage is admirable.
She also lamented [and this is true], “Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born Texans.”
You can understand why people were eager to talk about her when I wandered up to the British Emporium in Grapevine to shove my microphone in people’s faces this afternoon.
The first couple I talked to included a native Texan and a native of the UK. They were going through a scrapbook and were nonplussed that li’l baby Charles will finally get his shot after 73 years of waiting.
They say Queen Elizabeth was someone who could pull off a line like, “No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty” before accepting a selection of cowboy boots.
Loyal Scaiaholics will recall how crestfallen Thomas Jefferson was after a hypothetical conversation in which he learned it was no longer socially acceptable to kill British people. But we’ll also recall my position that London embraced the pageantry of the 2012 Olympics. These folks agreed, saying the queen knew how to cause a stir [even if her stunt double was, technically, the one who jumped out of the helicopter].
The queen was even still rockin’ out with Paddington Bear earlier this year, showing some of Texas’ rough and wildness rubbed off on her.
Queen Elizabeth II has been the only monarch during many of our lifetimes. Those folks at the British Emporium say it’ll take some getting used to, and they suspect there’s a possibility King Charles’ reign will be shorter than Elizabeth’s.
