Like most grandparents, they will do almost ANYTHING to get to the grandkids (generally) but do get tired of them, and need to take frequent naps... I was going to say nappies in the afternoon.. but to them, that is a baby diaper.
We threw out king george, and cornwallis... not the language or their parliamentary form of government... to their way of thinking, we are like the teenager who threw a fit about mom going through his or her drawers, left home, got a job, and now is living four blocks away from mom and dad in a nice apartment complex.
AND another reason they usually stick with us in military ideological struggles... the brits as a people, LOVE to fight. They are glory hogs on the field of battle. If there is a fight that they COULD engage, and WIN... they often feel it is their duty, to at least join with us to share in the glory, prestige and honor that comes from winning...
They really are, for many of us, physically our not so distant cousins, uncles and aunties (with very crooked teeth, of course). They are family. AND, they are rich family to boot.