Prince Philip is a genuine goddamned WWII hero: https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/dec/28/monarchy.davidsmith

In more recent QEII badass news, she drove King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia around her estate (at speed, very competently) and scared the shit out of him: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/driving-king-anecdote-goes-viral/

First, can I say I’ve really enjoyed the conversation. It’s been the most interesting I’ve had on Jez in a long time.

I live in the UK, and have chosen to do so for the past 15 years. You don’t need to convince me of its positive qualities. But I’ve lived in other Western countries as well, including the US and Canada (for 5+ years each) and I’ve been able to observe their issues at close hand.

Now this is an interesting comment. I agree that a lot of policies that seem like no-brainers to the rest of the world are not possible in the US political climate, even under a Democratic president.

I know you know this, but the US under Obama actually was respected by pretty much the whole world. As long as Trump doesn’t nuke anyone, that respect can be regained.

Angela Merkel is at least as intelligent as Pierre Trudeau. Probably more so.

If you think the Queen’s visit to the young victims of the Manchester attack this week was “decorative by nature,” I don’t think we have anything more to say to each other.

I’m a fan of the non-decorative royals. (I prefer the ones who work). As for politicians, the better looking politician often wins in a two horse race. That’s just human nature.

Seriously! Macron is the youngest French leader since Napoleon. And Canadian politicians have never looked like Justin (even his old man was more charming than actually attractive). They’re just a bit more compelling than, say, Chirac and Chrétien.

Correct. But Angela Merkel is fighting hard against that, and she’s really fucking smart.

Both Merkel and Putin know that they are the only politicians that matter now (in the West). Thank God Germany still needs Russia’s natural gas.

They must have met today. Why no pictures, internet?

Angela Merkel spent the morning with Obama. What a fucking comedown. (I MISS HIM SO MUCH)

You know where they are? London and Paris. London because the pound is in the toilet because of Brexit, and Paris because it manages to be welcoming to pretty much everyone, despite being both stunningly beautiful and something of a shithole.

I am furious about this. We need to be able to trust our allies.

Nah. Look at the footage.

I’ve lived in the UK for a long time, and Brits are generally kind, but Northerners are very kind. They’re not soft spoken and they’re blunt, but they would be incredibly kind to children in this situation. Manchester is a big city, but people behave as though they are in a small town.

Parents should go to the Holiday Inn in Manchester; many unaccompanied children have been taken there.

We have all that (been dealing with terrorism for much longer than the US). As liz.lemonade says, it was outside the security perimeter, and “well” timed.