Yehudi Menuhin believed in constitutional Monarchy

The Right Honourable The Lord Menuhin OM KBE

Yehudi Menuhin, one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, was an American-born violinist and conductor, who spent most of his performing career in Britain, where he became a monarchist. He received a knighthood in 1985 and in 1993  Sir Yehudi was bestowed a life peerage by the Queen as The Right Honourable The Lord Menuhin OM KBE. He was born 100 years ago on 22nd April 1916 and died on 12th March 1999.

In its 1975 summer edition The Monarchist - Journal of the Monarchist League published the following letter to the editor by Yehudi Menuhin:

Sir,

Thank you for sending me a copy of The Monarchist. Having read it, though, I would like to take this opportunity to point out a fundamental weakness in your proposition.

Constitutional monarchy is the genius of the British nation whose people understand what your philosophy has failed to realise, viz., that the very heart of the system is ineluctably welded to democracy. It is palpably obvious that the highest position in the land is utterly without power, and by this very token our responsibility for the weaker, courtesy for principle, and pride in the sharing of power between all citizens, from Palace to Pub, upheld.

I believe that constitutional monarchy is the best defence of democracy.

Yours sincerely,

Yehudi Menuhin,
London N6

Happy Australia Day

Letter to the editor, published in The Age:

January 26 – a day for genuine celebration

Few Australians will agree with Martin Flanagan that "the great historical divide is between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians". If a division exists, it is between defenders of traditional Australia and those who seek to transform it.

We traditionalists support the Crown, the flag, our primary connection with the motherland, Britain, and the rule of law as it was bequeathed to us by our forebears from that nation. For us, Australia Day is the best day for celebration as it marks the moment when our nation – one of the most successful in the world – was born.

Nigel Jackson, Belgrave

Is it Australia Day? Must be, because the republicans crawl out of their holes again

As certain that Australia Day is celebrated by the nation every 26th January it is certain that politicians and the media dig up the rotting corpse of the “Australian republic”.

This year is no exception.

The only difference is that all but one premier signed an open letter calling for a republic. In their letter they demand nothing new and even Melbourne’s daily newspaper The Age said the move is “to resuscitate the struggling republic debate”. Even an Australian Republican Movement paid opinion poll brought only 47 p.c. in favour of the sponsor’s intention. This was hardly the popular demand for a republic that the ARM had wished for.

The latest PR stunt is to declare an Australian republic “nothing less than a declaration of desired independence”, which was highlighted by The Age’s front page headline, Declaration of independence. As if Australia was still a colony and not an independent nation since 1901. On what planet do these republicans live?

Can’t they deal with the real issues?

Have a look at the country that solemnly proclaimed a declaration of independence in 1776 and check out the field of 20 presidential wannabes – one more frightening than the other. If a country of more than 300 million people cannot present more credible potential presidents than these 20, then a modern Constitutional Monarchy beats that old republic any time.

Republican presidential candidates - enough to make you a Monarchist.