The Economist (October 19)
“Constitutionally, the emperor is ‘the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people’. But the imperial cocoon in which he is kept risks making him more of a relic. Much like his father, Emperor Naruhito is relatively informal when touring the country, petting dogs and chatting with schoolchildren.” However, “the royal family has scant leeway to make itself more relevant” as it remains bound by “stifling bureaucracy and ritual.”
Tags: Bureaucracy, Constitution, Emperor, Imperial cocoon, Informal, Naruhito, Relic, Risks, Royal family, Stifling, Symbol, Unity
Reuters (November 13)
“Great Britain… is in a mess. Between scandals over sex, secret meetings, political donors and the royal family, the government is melting down.”
Tags: Melt down, Mess, Political donors, Royal family, Scandals, Secret meetings, Sex, UK