“THE FURORE OF FAMILIES’-FIASCO” – By Des Kelly

Royal Families, all around the world are ordinary families such as your’s or mine, the term “Royal” enhancing them for no other reason except history.   Kings and Queens come out into existence in exactly the same way as anyone else, propagated by a Father and delivered by a Mother.

There are numerous Kings and Queens around this world of ours, but let me start with the “Royals” of Serendib, as the Island of Ceylon was originally known.  When we studied history at College, I clearly remember the names of King Dhutu-Gemunu, a proud Sinhalese King,  and an equally proud King Elara, a Tamil King, who “migrated” to the tiny Island from India, the “Mother-Country”, of which Serendib was once a part of,  separated much later by the Palk Strait, named after Governor Robert Palk (an Englishman) who ruled the Indian State of Madras, at the time.  

          So here we have Elara, the Tamil Royal, coming into Northern Serendib with the idea that eelam (our land), was going to be THEIR Territory in future. He was going to be KING (even then, just a title). The Sinhalese, on the other hand, were simply migrants from India, coming into the little Island confronting the Veddhas (Aboriginal Islanders), and taking over the Country.  To make a long story short, (I have already written an abbreviated history of Sri Lanka on our website in Australia, naturally & proudly named eLanka), 

Kings Dhutu Gemunu & Elara fought each other (like the gentlemen they both were), on Elephants, and although Dhutu Gemunu won that particular battle, it was decided that eelam, at the top end of the Island would in fact, be ruled by the Tamils, and the rest of the Island (about 80%), would be ruled by the Sinhalese.  Of course, this meant Sinhalese Kings & Queens, and Tamil Kings & Queens, many of them, with names not very easy to remember.

The Tamils laid no special claim to any special name. They were simply Indians from the Indian Continent, but it was slightly different with the Sinhalese. Although they too, migrated to this beautiful little Island from North India, they always claimed to be “The Lion Race”, the word Sinhalese supposedly coming from “Sinhaya” which meant Lion. 

A 5th Century Epic known as the Mahavamsa tells us that this North Indian Prince called Vijaya who was supposedly the grandson of a lion, grew up to be tall, dark & handsome, and was on the lookout for a suitable bride, could not find one in his neck of the woods, and so decided to migrate to this tiny Island, which, even then, boasted some of the prettiest females around, spotted one in a Princess by the name of Kuveni, wedded her, and without further ado, started off the “Sinhalese” Race.  We are talking (writing) 

4th Century stuff here, folks, so it’s difficult even for me to get all the details 100 % correct, and that’s where the 

Mahavamsa Epic comes in. There you are, starting off with the Kings & Queens of India and Ceylon that I knew, the very first “King” was a LION. The rest were all simple people from India. 

          Getting back to where I started, Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses, Dukes, Duchesses, Earls, Countesses, Viscount, Vicountesses, Ladies of title, etc, etc. are all just “Titles”. The word “Royal” or Royalty, His Highness, or Her Majesty, such as Queen Elizabeth the 2nd, is used simply because HISTORY decrees that it be so. In real life, THEY are all humans like the rest of us. They are born, a few even suffer diseases, depression, etc., then die, like everybody else. Without going into details, “Royal Families” also experience the good, the bad, the happy and the sad events in exactly the same manner that ordinary families do.

As an ordinary bloke, if I ever happened to meet anyone in a Royal Family, it will be only common courtesy for me to

 “nod” my head, address them “by title”, and be respectful to them for who they are, but I “bow” my head to no-one except God. I am certain, that as head of the Church in England, Queen Elizabeth does exactly the same thing. 

          Part of the reason for this writing is the fact that it irks me silly to read, and watch repeatedly on television, the story of Prince Harry & Meghan Markle, his wife. They decided that they wanted to quit “Royal Duties”, and be independent to live their life with their son Archie. So be it.

Queen Elizabeth, as Harry’s grandmother, was not pleased with the idea, and putting n the robe and Crown, as Queen, could have stopped them in their tracks, but as a sensible Grandmother figure, decided to let them have their way.

This is one reason, among many, that I totally respect Queen Elizabeth.   This is also the reason that I hope the Social Media will now take a break, and leave this young couple to do their thing. S.M. have been on the go with this “Breaking News” now,  for weeks, and as I always say, 

TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING IS GOOD FOR NOTHING.

 Desmond Kelly.
(Editor-in-Chief)  eLanka.