The Duke of Edinburgh, 1921 - 2021
He was not short of either critics or supporters.
He was well known for having that dubious gymnastic ability of being able to put both feet in the mouth at the same time and has been given many less than complimentary labels, including racist and bigot. The list of his classic “gaffes” are being widely publicised right now – no need to repeat any of them here.
But he did work tirelessly as a kind of public servant and if the TV series The Crown is to be believed, being a perfect member of the Royal family and a perfect ambassador at all times was never going to be within the capability of most. It’s not a role and lifestyle I would’ve liked to either inherit or marry into, so I keep an open mind.
Was he really just antiquated, insensitive and intent on speaking his mind or was he just a very poor judge of what constitutes humour? I don’t know and I’m in no position to comment, but he sure looked good on a horse.
RIP. There is no doubt that he will be deeply mourned by both his family and the public.
And then, this weekend, One For The Girls…..
Horse racing has remained a male-dominated sport while women have competed successfully against men in equally tough equestrian sports such as eventing. But we’re getting there – you proved it, Rachael Blackmore! Go girl!
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