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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to let my ten-year-old DD dress as an anarchist for the royal wedding?

286 replies

cinnamontoast · 29/03/2011 13:49

At DD's school they've been asked to dress like royalty for a day to celebrate the royal wedding. Felt slightly sick at the thought of all those little princesses and, knowing my DD is distinctly anti-girly and not especially pro-royal, I suggested she go as a republican. Oliver Cromwell is tricky to do (suit of armour, anyone?), so we settled on an anarchist - all in black, anarchy symbol splashed on T-shirt, bomb etc. Now I'm wondering if it's a bit inappropriate and in bad taste. Maybe I should lighten up a bit about royalty? Otoh, she REALLY doesn't want to be a queen or a princess, it's just not her style.

OP posts:
grovel · 30/03/2011 14:34

bemybebe, I never for one moment thought that cinnamontoast would actually dress her daughter up as a Nazi. It was a flippant post on an adult site - but sorry if it caused offence.

bemybebe · 30/03/2011 14:36

Be flippant by all means. I doubt I am the only one who does not take Nazi jokes well. (Disclaimer: I am not a jew either.)

grovel · 30/03/2011 14:39

Fair enough. In my mind it was a Royal Family joke (which doubtless will offend others). I'll desist.

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 30/03/2011 14:39

Grovel, I, my DH, and many other posters thought your joke was very funny. I haven't rushed out to buy swastikas for DD but took it in the spirit in which it was intended.

Loved the beer mats idea too.

OP posts:
bemybebe · 30/03/2011 14:51

cinnamontoast but how is laughing at a joke like that is any better than dressing up in swastika the first place? I am sure that Harry did not dress up in the expectation of a quiet evening, he knew it was wrong, he wanted to provoke, although he probably did not expect the extend to which people disapproved.

Anyway, I am taking up way too much space here, I will get off.

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 30/03/2011 14:54

My DS used to laugh at the frog-in-a-liquidiser joke. He would never dream of putting a frog in a liquidiser.

OP posts:
NanaASH · 30/03/2011 14:57

Why not just get her a t'shirt and pens and write on at 'I'm not a princesses 'or 'I don't want to be a princesses' add campaig buttons if you have them.jeans and a cap or scarf

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 30/03/2011 14:59

A member of the British royal family dressing up as a Nazi is utterly revolting - and therefore ripe for taking the piss out of.

Which is what grovel was doing.

I doubt anyone was seriously suggesting dressing a child up as a Nazi.

bemybebe · 30/03/2011 14:59

...but Nazis gassed millions of people and were the reality of European political landscape only 60-odd years ago. Nazi symbols are banned in many countries, not in the UK (which I think is right), it is just an unappropriate topic for jokes.... it is NOT a "frog in a liquidizer", it is not right even to compare the two... right, i am off...

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 30/03/2011 15:32

how about the little prince? He's blonde, and pretty cool.

Otherwise I think Olly Cromwell is the best option, make some warts out of plasticine/rice krispies, tangle up her hair and get her a helmet/hat, dress her in black with boots and a fake sword, draw some wrinkles on her brow...

grovel · 30/03/2011 17:52

How about stapling some McDonalds packaging to a T shirt and going as Queen Ethelburga?

CatAmongstPigeons · 30/03/2011 18:55

If we're extending it to nobility too you could always just send her to school butt naked with a hobby horse and she could be 'Lady Godiva'! Grin

grovel · 31/03/2011 00:10

Hmm!

expatinscotland · 31/03/2011 01:28

Oh, good grief! Is it really that big of a deal? Send her as Mary, Queen of Scots, under the banner, 'In my end is the beginning'. 'Nuff said. Her half-French, half-Scottish Catholic blood runs through every monarch, even the daughters given the throne through bigoted law present even now.

It's all a big sham of quasi-legitimate Prussians now.

worraliberty · 31/03/2011 01:43

If the child is so 'anti royal' and the kids have been asked to dress as royalty for the day to celebrate the wedding...why doesn't she just go in uniform?

The kids haven't been asked to dress up as Oliver Cromwell or any other bloody thing.

It's really not a big deal is it? Either she's going to enter into the spirit of the celebration or she isn't Hmm

Ryoko · 31/03/2011 02:10

Send her in her normal clothing and tell the school that thanks to high taxation (some of which goes to the feckless royals) you can not afford to dress the child in fancy clothing.

or just send her as nun and have her tell the other kids and the school off about the sin of idolising false gods.

Anarchy is not anti-royalty, it's a form of nihilism.

I'm all for Anarchy but thats about a far bigger picture then a few obscenely over privileged inbreds.

expatinscotland · 31/03/2011 02:14

Ours don't even know who the hell they are, much less all this nonsense about princes and royalty and titles. They are nearly 8 and 5.

Our resident's lord's first son wanted to play with DD1 and some random children at a festival, he ran away from his Scottish nanny, who called him away when she spotted him playing with locals. I said, in a very Southern US accent, 'Shame, black burning shame, on such a house, that would turn its boy away from playing innocent games with its own children? May Jesus save you, what sort of house is this?' Could have heard a pin drop on that pitch. I'll not forget the look of shock on so many faces!

The lord himself said back, 'Let him play then.'

I daresay they'll remember me next time round :o. I was offered drams, later on, they said no one else would have dared say such a thing. And why not?

expatinscotland · 31/03/2011 02:38

If ever one of my daughters would take up with one as would use a 'title', I'd not be pleased, tbh, especially as my elder is not such a bright spark, though very beautiful in a strange, tall, otherworldly fashion that is already gaining too much attention, and naively sweet. She'll never be clever.

But she is mine first, I made a wish on Scotland and she came true. I am cleverer than any of them, so I'd get her sent off to America quickly, if ever such a person as says he is lord keeps coming in her path.

TheCoalitionNeedsYou · 31/03/2011 07:07

Blimey expat, you've gone all American Gothic on us...

gorionine · 31/03/2011 07:15

she could dress like this or

like that which is my personal favourite!

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 31/03/2011 10:56

Brilliant, expat. You sound like Calpurnia Grin

umf · 31/03/2011 12:25

My DS (4yr) refuses to believe in the queen anyway. She's made up, like knights and dragons. He thinks we're hopelessly deluded.

grovel · 31/03/2011 12:49

How about Father Christmas, umf?

BeerTricksPotter · 31/03/2011 16:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flyingspaghettimonster · 31/03/2011 16:49

I am shocked anyone could imagine that sending their kid to school with a pretend bomb would ever be in good taste. Going as an anarchist might have appealed to me at 10, I liked to rebel, but the royal wedding isn't really a good time to express your opinions on the royals IMO. It is about two people who are getting married and don't have a choice about doing it in the public eye. I think that they aren't much happier about all the formality and pomp than we are...

If she wants to wear black and go as an anarchist, I guess that is her decision. I would discourage it personally; perhaps instead suggesting she dresses as a particular royal in a jokey way? There are plenty of ways to imply a lack of love for the royal family without being offensive and the bomb thing really could get a suspension or anything...