The cover of this week's "Spectator": a witty illustration of 'lèse majesté', especially compared to the
persona non grata stunt on the Guardian's front page yesterday (previous post). Here we have President Obama - whose 2009 inaguration was so very much like a coronation - swooping into Britain to urge us into the 'Remain' camp: surely as patronising a use of public funds as the Government's grey and po-faced pro-EU leaflet. The term 'lèse majesté' literally means 'injured majesty'. Does even the Queen still have the power to proclaim herself slighted or insulted? Even if she did, one suspects she never would. Whereas President Erdogan freely makes use of it, and Chancellor Merkel goes along with him. There is always Kingship, in one form or another. The vital question is: what form will it take? Do we prefer sovereignty backed up by history, kinship and accountability, or do we let political leaders make a power grab for a majesty of their own devising?
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