Thank you for your very detailed response. I appreciate the effort you put into it.
I suppose we see this situation from different angles. I think titles like “Fleet Admiral” and “Knight of the Garter” should be earned. Others think it’s acceptable for such titles to be given to someone based solely on his birth. There are good arguments for each perspective.
Perhaps I am unduly influenced by the ‘Irish Rebel Songs’ album I bought recently.
:)
Americans may regard the attention the British pay to the Royal Family as fawning, but in my opinion it’s preferable to the fawning attention we Americans pay towards actors and professional athletes. The Queen is the head of state and in some respects is the embodiment of the soul of the nation. The Royal Family are employed as representatives of the Queen. The UK prime minister is the UK head of government. The US president is our head of government and head of state.