How to be pukka: a prominent Australian's advice

Original post 23 February: Should someone have saved our gracious queen?





The front page of today's Australian has a photo of Germaine Greer addressing the Queen of Australia, who seems to be taking what looks like an earbashing with very good grace. Any suggestions for a caption? And who is the woman in the middle? And one more: is the male in the background facing the camera Clive James?

Recently, in its report of the Kerry Packer memorial service, The Australian listed all those who attended. Can we have the same for Her Majesty's reception or does new money trump always trump old in these matters?


Update 24 February:

Ms Greer has given her version of her visit to Buckingham Palace in The Guardian . Some of this is reprinted in The Australian's "Cut & Paste" section though for some reason it is omitted from the online version.

Once you have decided to go, you are honour-bound to accept the house rules. Or so it seems to me. So once I crossed the gilded threshold of Buckingham Palace I didn't kick off my shoes, sit on the floor, light up a cigar or complain about the stinginess of the hospitality. I didn't buttonhole the Queen and ask her what she meant by serving wine from Chile and New Zealand at a reception for Australians working in Britain. And I did curtsy. Sort of. More of a bob really.

And later

Before entering mosques, mandirs and gurdwaras I take off my shoes. This is not because I believe in the God of the Muslims, the Hindus or the Sikhs, or any God, but because my hosts will be offended if I don't.

There have been occasions when I have been taken as a VIP visitor to holy shrines, and nothing but arrogance was expected of me, but I have offered reverence just the same. And I fancy the priests and the faithful have both appreciated it. When I went at dawn to the burning ghats in Varanasi I didn't take a camera; because I sat silent and still in my little boat, it was allowed to drift right up into the lee of the ghat, which was where I saw death full-face for the first time. I don't go into cathedrals in shorts and, if I remember, I wear a long skirt to Henley. Part of it is me wanting to show that though I am a hick from the sticks, I do know how to behave.

Like Ms Greer I've always removed my footwear before entering mosques and temples (on one occasion embarrassing myself by revealing a holey sock). My experience last year at Varanasi was however different to hers. When I went on a boat before the sun rose over the Ganga I did take a camera and used it (without flash). I didn't ask for the boat to go near the burning ghats (which are a relatively small proportion of the total) nor did I approach close to them later on foot,as I felt that to do so was to intrude too far into the religious practices of the Hindus. I was merely following my instincts: perhaps Ms Greer has received guidance from a power higher than herself?