Watching Trooping of the Colour - AIBU to feel proud or is it an anachronistic, expensive waste of money?

[Isdinnerreadyyet]

Been watching Trooping of the Colour. I just love the bands, the precision of the marching, the horses - all of it TBH. We do it better than anyone else IMO. Also good for tourism as many tourists come to the UK for the pageantry, palaces etc.

AIBU to feel proud?

Or is it an anachronistic, expensive waste of money?

How sad

I don't know what you mean?????????

It seems the tabloid coverage shows the Royals basically highjack an event that should celebrate members of our armed forces.
Given theres so much inequality in this country, these hugely wealthy and unaccountable people don’t help

There is a saying that an army that is disciplined on parade ground will be disciplined in battle. That is what we saw today. Also let’s not forget that, I think, all the adult male members of the royal family at the parade today have served themselves.

I love it. I am proud. I'm a proud pleb, as the pp described us.

Just like always, the loudest commenting will be left wingers who denigrate anyone who doesn't share their views.

1 How many other countries have you seen do it, in order to reach the conclusion we do it best?

2 What, precisely, are you proud of? Like, in what aspect of it do you take pride?

YABU to feel whatever you feel

My Dad used to love Trooping the Colour and we were all forced to watch it every year as kids.

So I watch it now in his memory.

I like the Red Arrows and the fly bus personally. DH is ex RAF and scoffs at them, calls them the Red Sparrows. But always watches the parades to see if he knows anyone and point out mistakes.

But if it’s not your thing, then don’t watch. Free country and all that.

What does this even mean? Who is commentating loudly? How does that work?

Absolutely agree with this. I wish we could elect the people we want to represent us .
You don’t get hereditary Doctors, how is this justifiable? And those quoting the alternative of Putin, how about King Andrew?

OP is proud to be British. Nothing wrong with that.

Completely confused regarding the left winger bit

And when I explained - did it help you understand? Was it something you were able to recognise and assimilate into your theory of mind to better help you empathise with your fellow humans? Or not

Nope. It seems a luxury which only a rich sorted out country should indulge in not one which seems to on its knees.

100% this. ^ Every other country is allowed to be proud of who they are/their country, but if you're proud to be British, or even worse, proud to be English, you're a flag-shagging, right wing bigot. Heard it all before. I just ignore it now. It's been said sooooo much by the left - that centric, patriotic, and right of centre/wing people don't take it seriously anymore. I cringe when I hear left wing throwing out thick bigot comments out to patriotic people, because they're embarrassing themselves.

Do you think the people who dislike it are right wing?

I love it, OP. The music, the pretty horses, the marching, the drive down the Mall, the fly-past. Superb entertainment for a summer day. It's a kind of horse-ballet with some amazing feats of marching and musicianship, too.

I'm in a choir and our conductor was once a grenadier guard and played the trumpet at TtC. That thing they do when they all re-form into a different shape while playing their instruments and marching too is just incredible. Such skill and dedication. All the participants are serving soldiers - not just 'toy soldiers' and I think they get a huge sense of satisfaction from TtC.

Long may it continue! If you don't like it, you don't need to watch it. I'd be bored rigid at a footie match or at Glastonbury but some people love them.

I’m a left winger who loves it too. My family laugh at me - socialist, feminist and monarchist with a deep love of tradition and pageantry.

Exactly. It's usually left wing/far left who are anti Royal. They often hate the UK too, whilst enjoying the privileges and benefits of being born here/living here. And they never make any attempt to leave, and move to another country.

I don't want to be connected to the Head of State. I don't wish ill personally on him or his family, but I'd like to be rid of the monarchy and all the money spent on shows like this.

I think you're probably not very left wing. You sound more centrist.

I have no thoughts on the political views of people who dislike the TotC but I’m confused why Tauranga thinks left wingers are always the loudest denigrators of anyone who doesn’t share their views. I’ve seen plenty of right wingers who denigrate people who don’t share their views.

Such rubbish!

OMG - you think the participants have no talent?

You must be very ignorant indeed. Have you any idea of the level of skill in horsemanship and musicianship (and sometimes both - the drum majors control their horses with their feet alone (reins attached to their feet/stirrups) as well as performing the music).

Jojimoji, you win MN for probably the most stupid and ignorant comment I've read for some time!

It's shocked me!

Nah nail on head!