So when we flew from Edinborough to Heathrow, why wouldn't the English cabbie take my "Bank of Scotland" pound notes?

She's QEII of Australia and New Zealand too, although Australia will probably become a republic within 10 years. The last referendum to that effect was lost because the monarchist side succeeded in confusing many voters over the model proposed.

As the office of president will be kow-key and mostly ceremonial, that model made sense - it envisaged appointment of the president by a two-thirds majority of Parliament (thus ensuring that the result would be non-party-political). However, the monarchists branded it a "politican's republic" and convinced many that the president should be directly elected by the people (which in reality would have the effect of making the office party-political!). So, despite the fact that opinion polls consistently favour a republic, the vote was for no change.

I think the situation is different in Canada - Michi can correct me on this -because the monarchy helps to distinguish the country from its big neighbour to the south. Although Australians fret about US "cultural colonialism", that's less of an issue for us.

The fact is that despite her nominal role as Head of State the Queen takes no hand in Australian affairs and the Royal Family invariably promotes British trade, etc., interests, not Australian.

The Queen's formal role is delegated to the Governor-General, who is in effect appointed by the Prime Minister. The GG keeps such a low profile that we're not even sure if he's still in the country, and we'd expect a president to continue in that proud tradition.

Now, how did the Brits, Canadians and Australians manage to highjack this board?

scurry, I hate to say it but you're not helping your case by misspelling Edinburgh!

Not taking Scottish banknotes in England is an old story. And I believe (but don't have any handy Loonies to confirm) that Canadian coins have "Elizabeth II Regina" on them. Along with beavers and other famous Canadian Americans. ;-)

Speaking of HM Mrs Q and animals, I found myself a couple of years ago in a Boots the Chemist (think Rite-Aid) shop in England, with a pocket full of coins I'd just brought back from Gibraltar. The coins had the same shapes and sizes and values as UK-minted coins (no coins minted in Scotland, unlike notes) but with some not-so-subtle differences. The Gibraltar 5 pence coin, in particular, had the Queen's profile on its face, very similar to the UK 5p coin; however, the other side had a Barbary Ape on it - those are the critters that live on the Rock of Gibraltar, irritating and occasionally biting tourists. "Regular" 5p coins have, I believe, a Scottish thistle (emblem) on the back.

Shop lady no. 1 (broad Yorkshire accent) to shop lady no. 2, upon me giving her some change: "Eee, what's this? Et looks like 'monkey on't 5p."

Shop lady no. 2 - also from the Dales: "Oh yeah, they all 'ave monkeys on 'em now."

I believe she was referring to the back of the coin and was not making an editorial observation on Family Windsor.

So what's with all this alliance with the Queen? Neil says of Canada "because the monarchy helps to distinguish the country from its big neighbour to the south". How lame! I hear someone's Mama calling. Americans kicked that family out and Canada didn't. I don't understand why Canada, Australia, and New Zealand haven't booted the stigma of the royals out of their society. go figure!

That's what I want to hear, wemr. Bugger that namby-pamby politeness that infests the Australia board, along with the contributions of those wimpy Canadians. What would they know? I've told the Aussies to lift their game and develop a bit of competitive spirit, but it's bloody hard work.

Well, mate, if you'd been reading carefully you might have deduced that actually I'm not a monarchist (now come on, put down that JD and Coke and concentrate!). But I do try to understand the historical reasons for why things as they are in my own and others' countries, yours included.

We all have our little mythologies. One of yours is that the American Way is by definition superior to all others, and that given half the chance the rest of us would jump on the first available plane and apply for a Green Card. Sorry, pal, but it ain't necessarily so.

I've spent a little time in your country - not much, but perhaps more than you've spent in Australia - and actually I like Americans and yes, I think you have a few things to teach us. But the maddening thing about some Americans is this obdurate refusal to accept that anyone else has anything to teach YOU. Believe me, you lose more than us from this mindset.

I could go on about the shortcomings of your culture, and you (in the unlikely event that you're in a position to) could respond in the same vein, but what would be the point? Deep down, you know the skeletons in your closet, and so do I, and I know the bones in ours too.

But back to the immediate point - believe it or not, one of the most effective arguments the Australian monarchists advance is "Do you really want the American system in this country?" A bit simplistic, perhaps, but enough to scare a lot of voters.

By the way, my congratulations on winning the War of Independence. But just keep in mind that this happened because the British forces ran dead as a result of widespread sympathy and support in England for the colonists' cause. Now tell me something about the rebellions of Irish convicts and gold-diggers, and early trade unionists' battles, in 19th century Australia.

Australia doesn't run under the American system? Just because Australia doesn't have a primary yet...

I'm sorry...I can't help myself. Neil, came over here 'cause you noted it's a hoot on the Aus board.

I'm a Yank (ooh, will I now be thrown out of the Oz forum?) who's been living in Sydney for 5 years, yet am also one of those "young'uns" who never had geography classes, per se. Perhaps it's the pack I run in, but we all know our geography, whether it be European, American, etc. And our history ain't that bad, either (now grammar, that's another story!)

You know whose perspective makes me split my sides, both when reading about Australia, the US and GB...Bill Bryson.

Now....should Australian politics start falling in line with US politics, I'd lose my entertainment! Those parliamentary debates! Just give me a bucket of popcorn and some Tim Tams and I've got all the show I need!

Oh, I'm heading to England (London, to be specific) this week so see all you pasty poms there! (just a joke)

Neil, what "big neighbour to the south"? Oh, you mean America! Sorry, I can't help you on the issue of the monarchy in Canada because I'm still working on England, UK and so on.

Gardyloo, you were right about Canadian coins having Elizabeth II Regina on them. But when you said you didn't have any handy Loonies to confirm it, you should have explained the $1 coins are called Loonies and not us Canadians (although it properly describes us). We also have a $2 coin called a Toonie. Ah the Canadian imagination!

Ani:

I didn't know that I was making a case (I was asking a question) -- or that correct spelling was mandatory on computer message boards.

So the Brits still own Gibraltar? I though the Spanish ousted them years ago! Imagine if the Spanish had captured Land's End ! But then again, try explaining to anyone about Guantanamo Bay!! ( Somehow got to twist this back to the US)

Yes, Gibraltar is still a UK outpost, despite constant harrassment from the Spanish and sullen admonishing from the EU. When the Spanish get all self-righteous about it they're usually reminded of Cuetta, the Spanish city on the coast of Morocco - same deal.

michi...the reason why its a problem when people ask 'What part of England are you from' is because not everybody lives in England! This shows how little you must know, and l thought the Canadians were quite well knowledged about this topic. If you are from Wales or Scotland, then you are not from England. You maybe from Britain, the UK, but not England.

Get it?!

And scurry...all l can do is apologise for the bad experience that you went through with the cabbie. Any money that is sterling is legal tender in the UK. This includes Bank of Scotland notes, and Bank of Wales notes. It's probably that the taxi driver was too stupid to realise Scotland was in Britain.

And scurry-sorry to spell check you (I'm surprised, actually to be the only one to do so-on this board its the norm) but Americans already get a bad enough rap (deservedly so) b/c of their ignorance that I couldn't let it be exacerbated by your butchery of the spelling of one of Britain's largest and most historical cities. I'll let it go now.

Well my speling needs Czeching too -
Harassment. Cueta.

Now I have to turn around and ask everyone to stop giving the Brits a hard time. Glyn's posts have reminded me of what it must be like to fall on hard times. How would YOU like it if you'd once had an empire covering a quarter of the globe and were now left with nothing but Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? After WW2 Australians were encouraged to send food parcels to Britain to relieve shortages in the Old Country - now I'm thinking we should be looking to donate a few islands that we don't really need. New Zealand, perhaps ....

Seems like Americans (whoops I mean US residents) aren't the only ones to get things screwed up. Check this out...

OTTAWA (Reuters) - A contender for the leadership of Canada's opposition Conservative Party was unflatteringly compared with Christopher Columbus this week and reminded that aboriginal Indians and people from India are different.

The politician, Stephen Harper, had to apologize after his office sent a letter to a native group, the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centers, congratulating it on a holiday celebrating India's independence from Britain.

Wrong Indians. And the mistake prompted a stinging rebuke from federation president Rick Lobzun, who said Harper's letter, sent in January, recalled Columbus's error of mistaking America for India.

It seems wrong to bandy about the term 'ignorant' when the subject is, in my opinion, pretty unclear.

I'm not sure that Scotland, Wales or England should be called nations or countries because they don't have sovreign status. They're not in the UN or compete individually in the Olympics.

Perhaps the issue is less ignorance and more poor communications.

Just a thought.

Slavery is a terrible part of American History. Thanks in part to the English. Slavery was introduced to the western hemisphere by the Spanish on Native Americans. The English were next in line. They sent endentured servants (slaves) to work off prison time in America. Aftrican were next in the slavery time line.

I am so ashamed by what has happened here in America. The Royal family and England has dirty hands in North America as do the Spanish who preceeded them. When you visit the fine churches of Spain do not forget that most of that gold has the blood of Native Americans on it.

Ani, we don't spellcheck each other because it is rude.

Clikc on mi nayme an yule fined lots of speling ears.