Right. The invitations are diplomatic formalities, and the designation of a representative to attend in the name of the country is entirely normal and expected.
We fought a war so that we wouldn’t have to go to these stupid events.
In 1953, Eisenhower didn’t attend but sent a four-person special delegation. Likewise foreign royalties sent more junior representatives rather than their head of state, even close relatives. I think it might cause protocol issues as to precedence, etc.
'Zactly. You don’t want 50 other internationally co-equal heads of state to outnumber, if not upstage, the birthday boy.
Instead everybody else sends their vice president, vice premier, whatever they call #2 or a delegation of #s 5-10.
That way the main attraction, the cuase and reason for the ceremony, is the only person of that rank anywhere nearby.
Actually, it’s the exact opposite reason that has always discouraged other heads of state from attending. It will be Charles’s big day and he will be literally the centre of attention. The whole point of the ceremony is to make visible in the most public manner possible that he’s more important than anyone else. Foreign representatives won’t even be spear carriers in the back row of the chorus, but merely members of the audience. It won’t even be much of a photo op for them. Since they’re bound to be overshadowed, they send someone less important instead.
Could well be. QEII was seated several rows back when she went to the funeral of Baudoin of Belgium, alongside other foreign royalties.
Ike didn’t go, neither did FDR.
They’ll probably send the Veep; that’s what you have one for.
Jill Biden will be heading up the US delegation.
Dear oh dear, whatever shall we do?
Grab a sally and get ringing some Plain Bob Doubles.
I don’t know - maybe aspiring bellringers are put off by the conditions - here’s an example from one church:
But if you ring in spur or hat,
A pint of ale you’ll pay for that
And if a bell you overthrow,
Sixpence is due before you go
Overthrowing a bell can have serious consequences. English church bells rotate on a frame. When not in use, they hang down, and to start ringing they have to be rotated to point up. A heavy bell may take two to get it swinging to the tipping point. After that, it only takes a gentle tug to swing it down and back up.
Overthrowing would send it across the tipping point and wind the rope up, making it impossible to ring until someone goes up and untangles it.
Serious question, is that unique to English church bells? Or is that true generally?
Most bells that I have been around work the same way.
Are human bellringers really still the norm for English churches? Because here in Germany, the bells have long been automated in almost every church. You wouldn’t find the people to regularly ring them anymore anyway.
Not unique, but they are not common elsewhere, and only in English-speaking countries. Most bells are simply rung by hitting them with a clapper. I believe bell ringers call that “chiming”.
Yes, human bellringers are still the norm in English churches. I have a friend for whom ringing is a hobby. She tours around the region with fellow enthusiasts, ringing church bells.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLMiK-TMyPI&ab_channel=Bellringingfilm
Change-ringing involves some complicated (or tedious, or both) working out/memorising of changing sequences - for a whole team of ringers. It’s not like one person at a carillon keyboard or tolling one or two bells.
Maybe a hijack, but I was once in the carillon of Hart House, at the University of Toronto.
It had a keyboard, much like a piano, but the “keys” weren’t like anything I have on my piano. Well, they kind of were, but they were wooden rods (oak for the white keys, ebony for the black keys), which the carilloneur would hit with his fists. It was fascinating, but I declined the chance to play.
I’ve attended carillon concerts at Hart House. Their carilloneur is skilled, and it is wonderful music.
[end hijack]
They each have their merits, but there is something especially joyous about a full peal of eight bells ringing the changes… for a while, anyway.
A bit like bagpipes. Best appreciated from a distance.