What The Germans Love Most About the UK (And Why)

[@annabear3553]

As a younger German I find the British Royal Family fascinating to watch as they seem to hold on to traditions more than other European Royal Families. At least that is my perception. Watching King Charles sign those papers when he became king felt like stepping into a history book about the middle ages, producing documents that might one day be presented in a spotlight next to the magna carta. Kind of surreal. But nice to watch as a spectacle from the outside. But I am quite glad that we are not living in any form of monarchy in Germany.

[@artrandy]

We're all glad that Germany doesn't have a monarchy, look what happened when you did. WW1.......

[@HelenA-fd8vl]

You look a bit like Prince Harry - but more intelligent!

[@JOzzie-u8z]

If you would like them take them please

[@jonesyboy69]

The Royals in this country have arguably more German blood than British. I personally would love Britain to be a Republic

[@linajurgensen4698]

@@artrandy Austria started WW1 and it had almost nothing to do with the German royal family.

[@albionmyl7735]

I've been many times in England... I deeply love this country and it's people.... they are polite.... have a great sence of humor.... and patiences...I love the countryside the villages and hamlets..... the greenest hills...... to drive on the right sight..... the pub food..... the ancient forest manor houses and castles..... oh god what a country.... ❤..... and they are indeed our closest.... 👀🤫Anglo Saxons...

[@britingermany]

Oh yes. I do like the green rolling hills as well. I’m looking forward to seeing some bluebells

[@chrissofpv3017]

Thanks Albion👍...kind words.👍🍻 We will with work and logic,regain respect and humility in the future...for the wrong turn in 2016.... hopefully in my lifetime.🙏😉

[@barbsmart7373]

Kia ora. Your comment has really touched my heart deeply. I don't really know why, but it has really brought me to tears. It has really taken me by surprise. You have mentioned some of the things I love so much about England. I guess my love widens to include the Scots, Irish and Welsh people and their land as well.

[@barbsmart7373]

Kia ora ano. Hi again. I love seeing the green scenery and old creations of the past as well. I guess that growing up in New Zealand, I became familiar with British television. Nowadays I love the huge range of British accents, and the great quality of drama and documentaries. I find much joy and nostalgia clicking back on to 'Faulty Towers', 'Are you Being Served?', and 'Dad's Army'. Various accents have a luring quality and carry me on journeys all over the world and through the past. Benjamin's style of speaking is a beautiful example of an original, humble, thoughtful, analytical individual who oozes authenticity and connection and brings us closer on a journey of discovery and understanding. Benjamin includes valuable connection, while Sir David Attonborough, Sir Tony Robinson and others, take me into history, nature, human conflict & cruelty and any place of meaning. I guess you are German and I appreciate your love of my ancestors' homeland. These poverty-stricken families came from all over...Sheffield, Staffordshire and Scotlant for sure. Kiwis tend to be very friendly and welcoming, polite humble and reserved. Maori culture adds in a staunchness, strength, respect and connectedness. Feeling at home with Brits, I love their speech, quality, self-depreciation, humour, and politeness. My thoughts are woven into the sacrifice and strength of the Mother country and other allies which lead 2 previous generations of my people through the hell of fighting aggression and genocide. It is beautiful to see reconciliation surpassed by your love and emotional connection. I hope I can be more like you one day, mate. I really admire your stance.

[@albionmyl7735]

@@barbsmart7373 🌹❤️🙏

[@gerardharrison262]

As the writer, Simon Winder, wrote in his book, "Germania", Germany is in many ways Britain's weird twin. Miranda Seymour in her book, "Noble Endeavours - the life of two countries England and Germany" says that 'no two countries in Europe possess a stronger history of cultural and familial sympathy, trust and mutual respect than Britain and Germany. That may come as a surprise to some on here, and I daresay some might disagree, but I would recommend reading both of those books, particularly Seymour's book, for a remarkable and very interesting insight into the relationship over several hundred years between Britain and Germany.

[@britingermany]

Thanks for the recommendation 😀

[@michaelburggraf2822]

Thank you for your suggestions. I didn't know about Seymour's book. Winder has written several books about Germany and it's neighbours. I've read passages of his book "Lotharingia" and I'll probably get this one next after his "Germania" (got that one already). In recent years I have a growing feeling that the perception and attitude towards Germany is changing in the English speaking world - a development which has begun before Brexit already. Something going beyond respecting Germany for building cars, brewing beer and providing the world with coockoo clocks.😊

[@TheRedPeril]

Family always fights.

[@symonbuck3911]

I lived, worked and learned German in Dusseldorf in the late 90s for over a year and I left my sojourn as a Brit in a foreign land with positive thoughts and some negative. This excellent channel has always offered me a good reflection on my time there and how things have changed. Keep up the good work!

[@britingermany]

Thanks a lot. It would have been interesting to experience Germany in the 90's

[@uliwehner]

@@britingermany i was there in the 90s, it was fine.

[@Spiklething]

I lived near Düsseldorf for a year too, April 1993 - April 1994. I know the exact dates because my son was born in Germany in March 1994 and I moved back to the UK when he was 5 weeks old

[@TC-qd1zw]

Because they have the leading family in Buckingham Palace.

[@chairmakerPete]

Well, it's a very pleasant surprise to discover many Germans are kindly disposed towards the UK and our Royal Family. Not at all what I was expecting to hear! Happy to embrace German friendship, and on reflection, aside from the obvious two "big ones" in the last century where we fell out, we've more in common with Germany than France. Gesundheit! 🍻

[@albionmyl7735]

Anglo-Saxon ties never dies... 🇩🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🥰♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@jillosler9353]

I have always thought of France as our natural enemy and (notwithstanding two big blips in the 20th century) Germany as our natural cousin. I personally have never met a German I didn't like and shared many a genuine laugh with.

[@jandron94]

​@@jillosler9353because of 1066 ?

[@FrikaWies]

Germans loooove everything that is considered „very British“. 🫖 ☕ 🇬🇧 It‘s something about the traditional (upper) class and style. 🎩 👒 From 5 o’ clock tea to the british accent to scottish highland cattle (they come in a plush version in german toy stores). Ascot, gingerbread, Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple… too much to enumerate. And of course Britpop, Beatles, London punk… I guess this is mostly cliché, but it‘s beautiful. Prince Harry has traded everything the british royal family stands for for a glitzy american Hollywood wokeist pseudo-culture. He trashed and capitalised his family for a shedload of money. We won‘t forgive him, unless there is a divorce involved.

[@dagatha3982]

You talk only for yourself. I (and many other Germans) love Harry and Megan and think they have been treated badly (by the media and by their own family). The Queen was alright, so is King Charles. William and Kate not so much. I wish all the best to Harry and Megan and hope they’ll have a long and happy life together. How dare people expect him to leave his wife and get a divorce just so he can be part of that horrible “Royal Business” (that killed his mother) again.

[@carmenlottner297]

Don't forget elevenses!

[@michaelburggraf2822]

I can't find a reason for not respecting any member of the Royal Family fundamentally as a public private person. I wouldn't say people have to agree with every action of Prince Harry or of Meghan. But I cannot understand the vitriol spewed towards Meghan and Harry.

[@beecaful]

Harry is a traitor. All the other members are good decent people. Especially Catherine Duchess of Cornwall and William Duke of Cornwall. They are my favourites. I also have great respect for Sophie Countess of Wessex. The King is ok but I don't love him. I loved our late Queen Elizabeth II. May God keep her in his gentle care.

[@blackvulcan100]

@@dagatha3982 I agree with you, Harry and Megan seem ok to me not sure why all the negativity about them.

[@nnglnd]

I like to think we respect each other in both directions.

[@britingermany]

I think so

[@ste2442]

Was based in Celle during my time in the British army . Lovely country and lovely people 🇬🇧🤝 🇩🇪

[@carmenlottner297]

Trooping the colour is still shown annually on mainstream German tv.

[@stumac869]

There's far more similarities between Brits and Germans that what divides us. We've had our moments and been great rivals but if you look at the modern world it was built by our inventive nations.

[@nikoscosmos]

The popular "news"papers have to be filled up with something both in Germany and Britain!

[@britingermany]

Indeed. At the royal family seem to get a lot of eyeballs

[@chrisaskin6144]

In Germany, the late Queen wasn't known as or referred to as Queen Elizabeth ll (of Great Britain/UK.) She was just called "Die Königin" (The Queen.)

[@uliwehner]

i always called her the queen. i mean, that was her title, being the queen of england and stuff. Then again, i started speaking english when i was 11. calling her " Königin" never crossed my mind.

[@Palmetum1]

And let's not forget Phillip spoke excellent German.

[@arnodobler1096]

Er war ja auch in Deutschland in der Schule, Schloss Salem.

[@majav.4887]

Ein Battenberg! Aus Battenberg wurde Mountbatten

[@britingermany]

indeed

[@alicemilne1444]

​@@majav.4887Seine Mutter war eine Battenberg, sein Vater war jedoch aus dem dänischen Haus Glücksburg.

[@stephenchappell7512]

​@@majav.4887 Indeed Mount Batten being a Plymouth headland

[@MsAaprill]

Very accurate summary! I am a German about your age and I have always deeply respected the British monarchy and have followed them with great interest. I have watched all weddings live on German tv (have skipped university classes in order to do so) watched every Megxit documentary on Netflix and was saddened by Queen Elizabeth’s Death.

[@britingermany]

What do you think of Charles’ German? 😉

[@MsAaprill]

@@britingermany I think it’s actually quite impressive 🤗 I used to be not such a big fan of his due to the whole „cheating on Diana story“ (you just cannot win on this one) and his alleged coldness towards Harry and William when they were growing up but in the recent years he has somewhat grown on me and gained my respect and sympathy. Of course I have watched his coronation also ;-)

[@Angelcynn_2001]

Outsiders love the monarchy more than us Britons do. Please talk about something else when mentioning us

[@harrylor66]

​@@britingermany Many years ago, King Charles (from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha😉) read fairy tales in German on German television, back then as the Prince of Wales. That was very impressive!!🤩😎👍

[@matthewrandom4523]

I remember the day when Lady Diana died in 1997, and I was crying my eyes out for days. She was one of a kind, a magical person. And she was English. There's something about the Britains which captures our German imagination. R.I.P. , Lady Di and Queen Elizabeth!

[@britingermany]

Hello Matthew. Hope your doing well

[@matthewrandom4523]

@@britingermany I do, thank you.

[@arnodobler1096]

Yes, that also affected me back then, unlike Elisabeth.

[@henrietta1066]

Me too....

[@michaelburggraf2822]

I'm a democrat and republican (in the European sense of meaning). So I'm quite happy with our German institutions of state. Actually I appreciate them for being comparatively successful. Our first attempt of a democracy failed due to inexperience. The autocratic and totalitarian systems have ended in total desaster. I think the UK has never experienced such disruptions in their history like Germany did. The constitutional monarchy has evolved more continously and organically. And for several hundred years in parallel with the UK's parliamentary system. It was very interesting for me to follow the proceedings of the House of Commons after the referendum about leaving the EU. A few times Queen Elizabeth II got involved too, directly (eg. prorogation of parliament) and indirectly. It was mentioned repeatedly that she was very interested about politics and very well informed when prime ministers appeared in Buckingham Palace for their weekly audience. Following these events has allowed me to get a better understanding of politics in the UK and of the role and relevance of the British monarchy. As head of the state the Queen or the King are playing a well defined role. With that in mind it's interesting to see how they're filling that role, that office. And I have to admit respectfully that they did and do so remarkably, even impressively well. Hence, particularly now, as many people are just realizing how big a change Brexit is and how volatile global politics and economy can be it seems that the monarchy is providing a sense of stability and reassurance to many people in the UK.

[@britingermany]

Yes Michael I think that’s it. People need certainty and stability and that is what the monarchy represents.

[@pipercharms7374]

I think a big instance that helped us a lot with our monarchy is the idea, that "we" are in control despite the monarchy and the monarchy is there to serve us, not the other way around, This idea that, they are only in power because we let them, stems from further back in our history, after a civil war, where we got rid of our king and became a republic for a bit. We eventually got our monarchy back (Cromwell was a dxck) but the idea that "if you step out of line we'll get rid of you, like how we got rid of the monarchy way back when" still remains, so there's this still is reassurance of control. That they won't overstep their boundaries or they'll be gone.

[@michaelburggraf2822]

@@pipercharms7374 I'm wondering if the idea of absolutism as demonstrated by the French King Louis XIV. had a stronger impact on Germany than on Great Britain or the other way around. I'm guessing the former.

[@pipercharms7374]

@@michaelburggraf2822 I would say the former since I think we usually draw things specifically from our own countries history when wondering "why something is like this" or our "thoughts on this" It is strange to think that we actually could have stayed a republic if Cromwell hadn't been such a nuisance... Everyone has "what ifs" in their history.

[@YvonneHoerde]

@@britingermany Maybe, in a way, this stability is what Germans are somehow longing for. You know, being German has meant quite a lot of different things during the last 100 years. We even had a divided capital and a divided state. But the UK has been the Uk with the royals as a symbol of stability. for such a long time that this almost is exotic to Germans. whilst still being quite close to our own traditions and values.

[@christian_in_Spain]

I am German and spent 11 happy years living and working in the UK. I love that country, especially the North of England. I have always accepted that the Royal Family has a big role to play in the UK, if only because many people there support it and also because it's a unifying force for this very diverse society. Having said that, I have always been a republican at heart and I think many of the UK's current problems are due to people there having a strong tendency to look at their past with all its pomp and circumstance as opposed to be looking into the future.

[@britingermany]

Right...look forward to a new future I also think that is important

[@ianphillips9455]

Well said, the royals are like by less and less people especially the younger generations. and overall support is about 42%

[@wilhelmmay3537]

Very good video. I think Britain should keep the monarchy and be proud of it.

[@britingermany]

I think at the moment they don’t have much else going for them

[@Purple_flower09]

​@@britingermany The UK is months away from sacking the failed Tory party so we have much to look forward to. Watching the Tories being annihilated. The UK is not in such a bad state as is made out. After all 3.5m or so EU citizens choose to live here when they can leave at any time. Away from the social media bubble and the other media nonsense the UK still has a lot to offer. And strictly between you and me, at least the UK is not boring as some EU countries are. The UK is a hot mess - a place where things actually happen. I'm sure you've been to Switzerland. Beautiful, everything works properly and it's very civilised. But incredibly dull. Painfully boring and tedious.

[@Stand663]

Our politicians are extraordinarily inept at actual basic governance. I don’t think there’s been anything like it in our lifetimes.

[@Concreteowl]

No Kings for me please.

[@Stand663]

@@Concreteowl Europe last century, got rid of most of their kings and queen’s etc in frenzied revolutions etc. What replaced them was fascism and communism. Yep that worked out well didn’t it..

[@tzazosghost8256]

Germans have gone through a pretty roll coaster ride though recent history and much revolutionary change. It makes a great deal of sense that something of such ancient tradition as Kingship would hold a fascination for them.

[@majav.4887]

The literature The humor The music My absolutely favs.Far better than the german or any other in the world in my opinion. Thanks for the Brontës,Jane Austen.

[@medler2110]

I was working in the UK with a German colleague when England played Italy in the Euros final, my colleague really wanted to watch it, in an English pub with English fans, I wasn't keen on the idea A) because I'm not interested in Football B) I didn't think English football fans would welcome a German. Was I wrong about B), he was welcomed, people wanted to know where in Germany he lived, wanted to tell him how much they liked Germany, there were even 2 guys who had worked in Germany for a number of years and spoke the language fluently, we had a great night and my colleague can call himself a true England fan giving seen them lose on penalties. 😂

[@SophyaAgain]

I'm glad you and your German collegue had met a bunch of regular and mentally healthy Brit folk. I'm not interested in football too ... 😁

[@medler2110]

@@SophyaAgain Yes maybe I shouldn't believe the UK media, who portray all England football fans as thugs who still think we're fighting WW2, he did proudly display the England Flag he was given there in his truck. 😂

[@Muppet1581]

I love Great Britain , they gave us the Stones , the Beatles, Pink Floxd , Kate Bush and a lot more . And the Mini skirt

[@britingermany]

The miniskirt 🤣

[@B-A-L]

Don't forget the actual Mini, even though its more German now!

[@artrandy]

Just gotta hear Pink Floxed, the band of my dreams.....

[@HelenA-fd8vl]

I remember that era. I think it was Courreges, a French designer, who first gave us the miniskirt. That and the white boots to go along with them. Maybe I am wrong.

[@Muppet1581]

@@HelenA-fd8vl I think , it was Mary Quant - But maybe I"m wrong :-)) Have a nice day

[@linajurgensen4698]

So where do I start? Well it’s actually quite simple. Both the UK and Ireland have something that no other countries have in Europe and the rest of the world. It’s the combination of beautiful rugged northern landscape combined with romantic centuries old castle ruins that gives these countries it’s fairytale aura which is of course reinforced through countless films and books. There is no other place that combines the romanticism of old castles with that kind of landscape and cultural heritage. Yes Germany and France have their own castles and palaces but a lot of the times even when a castle is old it often got renovated and therefore looks artificial and not as natural and free like the castles standing in the endless expanses of the British countryside. Besides this I also love British/Scottish (and Irish) folk music which is still commonly practiced in pubs and other public places, this kind of music even tho it’s not native to us gives Germans and other Europeans a sense of “home“? I don’t know how to explain it.😂 I‘m also fascinated with the history of Great Britain and how the island has developed and stood the test of time.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇮🇪❤ Greetings from Schleswig-Holstein.☺️

[@britingermany]

Thanks for those words. I think it’s something that people don’t talk about enough. I also really identify with the landscape. Yes there are beautiful areas in Germany/france/Italy etc but each have their own distinct aesthetics

[@Angelcynn_2001]

As an Englishman, English and Irish culture is the most similar, our pubs, banter and music is ancient and romantic, as forour castles, they exist only because they were built by the bast.d duke of normandy, to oppress the English, Welsh and Scottish. Now they belong to our green countryside. You're welcome to visit the British Isles. The vikings and teutons influenced the island, they created England and some of Scotland

[@Indigenous_Briton.007]

@@linajurgensen4698 great comment. Cheers. You're welcome to visit the Isles👍

[@gdok6088]

I'm not sure the reaction to the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II was stronger in Germany than in the UK. There was a profound sadness felt by very many people in the UK, even self-proclaimed non-royalists. Like millions I was watching intently when the Queen's death was announced on the BBC News at around 6:25pm. What slightly surprised me was that in less than a minute my 32 year old daughter phoned me in a state of great upset and was sobbing at the news. I had perhaps not fully appreciated how the feelings of fondness and attachment to the Queen crossed the generational divides so powerfully. The enormous queues of people waiting to walk past the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall was also testament to the strength of feeling, sadness and respect felt by so many people in the United Kingdom.

[@britingermany]

It Definitely was the end of an era

[@lydias.3082]

I'm German living in Germany and i was at Work when i read online that the Queen has died. I immediately told my Colleges. And everybody 😮 But sure the emotins in UK musst have been stronger.

[@henningbartels6245]

there is some German linage in the royal family and the "House" (the family name) stayed German for a long time. But having a German surname (by your fathers linage) doesn't make you automatical German and it hides your maternal side. Only a part of the family tree has German origins. I'm convinced that this channel would have the potential to educate and bring some light what iss rather a myth of the "German Royal Family".

[@ianphillips9455]

Their "real" name is Saxe Coburg-Gotha they changed it to Windsor during the war.

[@embreis2257]

depends how selective you are with your ancestry. some people can be very selective, others (like many Americans) consider themselves Irish, Italian, German or whatever even if their only link is a grandfather 6 generations ago. the late queen's father had to take care of quite a lot of German speaking relatives - even during the war. the queen herself married a man whose family name was _Battenberg_ and who attended school in Germany. both made a grand tour to many relatives in Germany while on their last official visit. perhaps you noticed the people directly following his coffin. make of it what you will.

[@MrBulky992]

​@@ianphillips9455Or you could argue that the "real" name is "Schleswig-Holstein Zonderburg Glucksburg" as that was the royal house to which Prince Philip belonged (the same name as the current Danish and Norwegian royal families), "Mountbatten" being an assumed name. As most know, Queen Elizabeth overrode the custom of the royal house always being that of the monarch's father as had happened historically with Edward VII and George I.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Hello Ben, thank you for that interesting video! Actually one of the Royal Family's lines of ancestry starts in the town where I grew up, Weingarten in Württemberg. In 1965 that was the reason why the Queen had asked for a short stop in Ravensburg to visit the Basilika in Weingarten. The Carolingian emperor Charles the Great installed one of his dukes as feudal lord in the region of the Alemannians - a germanic tribe with whom he had some trouble to control. That's the beginning of the family of the Guelphs becoming part of high aristocracy in Europe. Around 935 the Guelphs founded an abbey for nuns which also became the first place of tombs. That place still exists as a crypt in the baroque Basilika which was built in 1720 to replace an older church building. In my region an old legend about the Guelphs is still known. Germans became interested in British Royalty possibly with Queen Victoria already. I think that an important aspect of that interest is the bit of entanglement of different parts of Europe throughout history. It's also a clue showing how comparatively young the concept of nations and nationalism is. For example one of the most important abbeys in my region has been founded by the Irish monc Gallus, St.Gallen. Another Irish monc Columban tried to establish an abbey in Bregenz (didn't succeed because he seems to have been too strict). In many places in the early German empire Christian religion was promoted and taught by clerics from Ireland, England (Linisfarne) and Scotland. Some of them had spent some time in France before coming to German regions.

[@britingermany]

Weingarten does look like a beautiful historic town. Would you recommend visiting and if so what time of year? I assume the autumn would be good....

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

@@britingermany The historic centre isn't very big and actually the Basilika and the area around it are certainly the most interesting part of it. At the moment though I wouldn't recommend to visit it because there's restoration work going on inside the Basilika. There's a massive scaffolding just in front of the main organ. Since that's really a precious experience of such a visit I'd recommend waiting until 2025 at least. Actually all work is planned to be finished by 2028. It's a quite comprehensive restoration including the paintings on the ceiling (hence the huge scaffolding). Particularly at the moment, I'd recommend a visit to both Weingarten and Ravensburg - maybe in combination with a trip to Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance. The Guelfs built a larger residence in Ravensburg. Only a small part of that has remained. But the location offers a great sight over Ravensburg and its surroundings in and around the Schussental (the valley of the river Schussen; the valley was actually digged by a huge glacier during the last period of the ice age). Ravensburg was the main seat of a medieval merchants society, the Große Ravensburger Handelsgesellschaft. They were doing trade across a wide area in Europe, even with the Hanse in the north and of course with Italy and France. As a result Ravensburg was a flourishing centre of trade and quite rich. Luckily it wasn't destroyed by the thirty years war nor in WWII. However, the former caused a period of decline. As a result many old buildings and even some parts of its fortifications - particularly its towers - remain until today. Taking public transport it's a leap of 15 to 20 minutes to get from Ravensburg to Weingarten. So visiting both makes sense. There are three remarkable events: Both: Fasnet ie. carnival season; it's one of the centres of Swabian-Alemannic Carneval; Weingarten has a very old traditional carneval society. Weingarten: Blutritt (lit. blood ride), a procession on horses on Friday after Ascension day; it's a really big event with many, many horses (and corresponding odourous challenges); a priest will be riding on a horse carrying the relic of the Holy Blood along the path of the procession spending blessings to the fields, meadows and the town. Ravensburg: Rutenfest, the main town festival in July/August with a big procession on Monday; around that time many towns around Ravensburg are celebrating festivals too. Of course Weingarten and Ravensburg are worth a visit all the year around. However, spring and autumn are offering better chances to experience a particular wheather phenomenon: Föhn, a warm wind falling from the Alps. That layer of warm air falling creates an optical effect like a magnifying glass. As a result the peaks and mountain ranges of the Alps are apearing as if they'd rise right behind Ravensburg despite being about 80 - 100 km away. There are several spots providing a phenomenal panorama of the Alps from central Switzerland to far in the East in Bavaria and Northern Austria. Typically, Föhn is appearing before nice warm weather gets replaced by rain from the South (ie. the Mediterranean Sea). But if migraine is an issue Föhn weather could possibly initiate head aches - another example of beauty coming with pain sometimes.

[@arnodobler1096]

Grüße aus Radolfzell, hatte mal eine Freundin in Weingarten.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

@@arnodobler1096 Hallo Arno! Schön, dass Weingarten auch noch etwas anderes als die Basilika zu bieten hat. Die PH zum Bleistift ...😄

[@brianjones5379]

I have no objection to having our Royal Family being labelled as German, but get this. After the Battle of Hastings, Harold's family fled to Denmark, where they married into Europe's Royal families, including the ancestors of both the Queen and Prince Philip. So our Royal Family's English roots go back 1,000 years. The civil list is drawn from roughly 40%of the income from the Crown Estates. The balance goes to the treasury, so they are not simply a cost to the taxpayer, it is much more subtle than that. I wish people would learn some history instead of churning out popular prejudices.

[@Piden-l4b]

I lived many years in London and love the UK and the British culture and people. My daughter studies in Surrey. Sadly this love is not reciprocated by most British. As a German the WW2 is always brought up and Germans stereotyped instead of the historic ties of Angles and Saxon’s as well as the Royal family of the house of Hannover.

[@karlJCompton]

This was a very pleasant surprise and I shed a tear about this connection of both of our history. I have so much respect for German people. I also feel like we are very much alike in many ways and I could also include France as well in this mix. I feel like the 3 nations have so much history that we feel connected to one another and we like to make fun of each other but I believe there is a lot of respect between us all. 🇬🇧 🤝 🇩🇪

[@britingermany]

Definitely a lot of respect between the Brits and the Germans

[@TheJohnnycab5]

Dude, I love your balanced and considerate take on things. Keep it up! In the nineties I joined a church group here in my hometown in Germany where the topic of "British Israel" or otherwise known as "National Israel" was part of the teaching, which claims that the European Royal houses and people, especially the Anglo Saxon and Celtic people are descendants of the lost ten tribes of old Israel who migrated north west after the Assyrian captivity. This is of course very controversial but ever since I had a new and very positve look at Brittain. Before that the UK was just another country in Europe. Although I have altered my view on that line of historic teaching as well as the European Royals, I have kept my "brotherly" feelings towards the Brits and have been to the UK (and Ireland for that matter) many times. Greets!

[@britingermany]

Glad to hear you haven’t given up on us 😀

[@uliwehner]

wtf, i had never heard of this, and i live in the south of the US where pentecostal churches and such are very common. even more surprising that there is an offshoot in germany.

[@Billyzgstar]

I travelled to Netherlands and Germany in my teens and loved both countries. My family have lived there when they were in the military and have nothing but compliments of the people and culture.

[@andypandy9013]

Neither of Queen Elizabeth's parents were born or raised in Germany and only two of her Grandparents were so how does that make her "German"? I myself am British, specifically English. Both my parents were born and raised in England and only two of my Grandparents were born and raised outside England. They were from Scotland. Does that make me "Scottish"? No! It makes me English with some Scottish heritage. That's it!

[@MrLeighman]

Agreed. You are where you are born and grow up. But It's also nice to get to know where your ancestors came from. It is just human curiosity. The Queen was British not German.

[@embreis2257]

try asking some Americans if they consider themselves Irish, Italian, Greek, German or whatever and you may be surprised by their answer

[@johnmunro4952]

For the longest time we British and our German cousins were united against our common enemy.....THE FRENCH!

[@alansutton9388]

Bloody French pah. The French have the "gall" to say the English are perfidious

[@markusamshoff7359]

The United Kingdom very often married German princes and princess’ in the past. So it was given with…

[@holger_p]

But does any German ever think about it ? I never noticed, this would be reason for anything. Is the interest in Katharina the great different from Zar Peter I. , cause one was German the other was not ?

[@michaeljasterfotografie3985]

Danke für die Informationen über die Krone…… liebe Grüße aus Düsseldorf tolles Video

[@britingermany]

Danke dir :)

[@sindbad8411]

Being a boomer born and raised in the Ruhr area I never felt an interest for the Royals.The queens visit in 65 was too early for me. My parents didn't even had aTV back then. Wembley 66 I was allowed to join our neighbors in an overcrowded living room with the TV. And music took a prominent role in my life. Remember there was no internet and hardly any music magazine. The WDR the public station from Cologne had 2 or 3 music formats per week and one of them were all about the current charts. I bought several records just because of its cover. Caravan and their "In the Land of Grey and Pink" album was one of them. And boy did I fell in love with it. A love that lasts until today. I listen to it at least once a month. And than I discovered BFBS the British Forces Broadcasting Service I think located in Herford near Bielefeld, Westphalia. It opened a whole new world for me. The Prog Rock times were exactly "my time". Somehow during my high schools years it was always apparently clear that there was sympathy for the British without any specific reasons although there was not much talk about it. I don't have an answer why. British culture? Well music yes. I do not remember literature or poems been of any interest. Prog Rock came to an end, people were fed up listening to complex music and Punk became popular. Which I didn't like much and kind of ended my British episode. I turned to world music, some American but Scandinavians too. And of course there's always ECM Records from Munich with lot's of fantastic musicians and recordings founded by producer Manfred Eicher in 1969. They released over one thousand albums of the finest music and musicians.

[@xelakram]

Your video is very interesting and somewhat of a departure from your usual topics. The question of monarchy is, as you well know, a huge topic, the merits and demerits of which could be discussed endlessly. So I will try and keep this very short but try still be true to my opinions and thoughts on the matter. The late queen, HM Queen Elizabeth II, despite her diminutive stature, was a towering figure: she commanded the respect of the nation and the world. Nobody had a bad word to say about her - anywhere. She conducted herself with grace and dignity always. She carried out her role as monarch perfectly. There was never scandal or gossip about her. We Britons couldn’t have wished for a better, more suitable monarch. Queen Elizabeth II was like a glue that held the nation together. Since Queen Elizabeth’s passing, however, there appears to be a change in the nation, a change in attitudes to the concept of royalty itself. In my opinion, I believe that that ridiculous Brexit has accelerated that change. Scandals in the royal family and behaviours haven’t helped any, either. Much respect appears to have been lost. In my opinion, the institution has let too much light in, It was Walter Bagehot, the English economist and essayist, who said the following: “We must not let in daylight in upon magic.” But this is precisely what has been done in recent decades. It’s as if the spell has been broken. We are now able to view the royal family, warts and all. And, in my opinion, the royal family is paying the price. Am I a monarchist? These days, I am conflicted. I used to be. Very much so. But with Princess Diana’s tragic death, and the shabby way she was treated, my views started to change. Am I now an anti-monarchist? No! Certainly not. But I have many questions and objections to the institution. There is something infantilizing about a monarchy. The MSM’s obsession with what is going on in the Royal Family, what they are wearing, who likes whom, who has fallen out with whom? Etc. Britons are truly obsessed with it all. That gets on my nerves. As an institution, I feel it holds the UK back. It perpetuates the class system and perpetuates privilege. Further, King Charles III has a propensity to interfere in political matters. That is something his mother never did. In an age when the nation is strapped for cash - let’s face it, we are on our uppers! - I also object to the cost of it all, especially when many people are struggling to feed themselves without going to food banks, and children are going hungry. Further, having lived in Switzerland for four years, I have seen how well a nation can function without a monarch. To say nothing of the higher living standards of the people. One cannot help but feel that in the UK, the plebs are allowed to forage for crumbs under the patricians’ table! But do I like King Charles and Queen Camilla? Yes!

[@britingermany]

Very well put. I can hear the conflicting thoughts in what you’ve written. A lot has ch aged for sure and I agree that to keep mystery and intrigue alive you have to keep things behind closed doors

[@xelakram]

@@britingermany Thank you! I'm glad you liked my comment. Yes, I am conflicted about monarchy. It was very perspicacious of you to pick it up from my comment. I was raised in a home which revered monarchy wholly and without question. So that's where the part of me that loves the institution comes from. I also love the glamour of it and the pomp and pageantry. But I have lived in this life for many years, and I have travelled a lot to many different countries: and I have even lived in a few to them, too. So, my perspective has changed somewhat in comparison with what my parents and family taught me to believe and to revere. In my family, it would have been heresy even to question the validity of monarchy! But life has moved on since then; and so have I. All this doesn't make me anti-monarchy. I wouldn't feel comfortable saying that I was. But there have been many scandals and questionable behaviours in recent years which have made me start to think about the use of, and cost of, such a system. The old refrain that the monarchists keep on plugging is the tourist advantage. Ooh! Aren't we lucky! Look how much money the monarchy brings to the UK through tourism! That's as tame an excuse for keeping the institution as it gets. First of all, that tourism would still come to see the castles, places and crown jewels with or without a monarchy. People still visit France by the drove even though their monarchy was abolished in 1789. The Palace of Versailles hasn't lost its allure just because they no longer have a monarch to live in it! Secondly, if we want to keep our monarchy, we must surely come up with a far better justification for doing so. The attraction of tourists is a tame, lame excuse for keeping such an expensive institution. But another thing I would like to say: There is something galling about this government - and other other governments - always being able to find the money to finance the privileges and expensive lifestyles of just a few people who happen to have been born in the right family, whilst for the mass of the people, there is never enough money to give them a decent life. It's a question of poverty for many, food banks, even homelessness for the very underprivileged few and palaces, castles, crowns and tiaras for the super-privileged royal family. In a time of plenty, governments can get away with this rank extravagance; however, in a time of austerity, economic difficulties, and even economic decline, it is far more difficult for governments to do so. When children are going to bed hungry, there is something unacceptable about a few privileged people living in the lap of luxury at the taxpayers' expense.

[@helfgott1]

Because we the germans and my brits are brothers and sisters ❤❤

[@britingermany]

😀😍

[@uliwehner]

the brits are the sisters, obviously

[@Angelcynn_2001]

Cheers Brother

[@BloobleBonker]

Great to hear your insider perspective on this. The political theorists often forget the soft power angle. ❤

[@britingermany]

Thanks for watching

[@harrylor66]

From 1714 to 1901, the kings and queens of Great Britain came from the House of Hanover. Since then from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (the "Windsors"). Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha popularised the Christmas tree in the UK. And they are also Saxons (Anglo-Saxons, Old Saxons, you understand). Incidentally, Edgitha of England, granddaughter of Alfred the Great, Queen consort of Germany and wife of Otto the Great, is buried in Magdeburg Cathedral. She popularised St Oswald in Germany. So there are certain connections between Great Britain and Germany.😉 BTW, I grew up not only with Grimm fairy tales, but also with the stories of the Nibelungs, the saga of King Arthur and Merlin, with stories like Ivanhoe, Robin Hood, King Richard the Lionheart, or the tales of Francis Drake. Later, J.R.R. Tolkien (his family originally came from Germany, just like William Hershel) had a great influence. My favourite British TV series is "All Creatures Great and Small", which I also have as a DVD edition in the "Hillman Minx" packaging.😊 And, my grandmother told me many years ago that after the loss of the "Titanic", Germany was also in mourning, all black, white and red flags at "half-mast".

[@nachbarslumpi7093]

No we don’t see the Windsors as German, but we enjoy the gossip without paying our taxes for it. 😂

[@britingermany]

There you go🤣

[@ninamoores]

I think each tax payer in the U.K. pays less than £2 a year of their tax toward the royals. What superb value!

[@ianphillips9455]

@@ninamoores Nonsense a lot of the costs are hidden in government departments like Defence etc. they are very poor value.

[@pipercharms7374]

As a brit I always say "they have German ancestry" I never quite understood calling someone a another nationality if they, even their parents, never lived there. They live in Britain, they're British. Some brits who are anti-monarchy try and say stuff like, they're not even british and I'm like...yes they are? Having different ancestory doesn't make you any less your current nationality.

[@jamiearnott9669]

Interesting video. Only irony, queen Elizabeth who recently passed away, she was in my mind as a British citizen half Scottish and German through her paternal line, but from a British born parents.

[@artrandy]

Half Scottish, with some intermingling with the English, the rest German AND Danish blood......

[@jamiearnott9669]

@@artrandy oh yes, and not forgetting her grandmother was Danish.

[@expressoevangelism80]

They’ve loved the U.K. so much, they wanted to come over and help us run it a couple of times. As we say, 2 world wars and 1 World Cup at Home in London. Nonetheless, we’ve let them have it through the royal back door for about 3-400 years, but it looks as though Islam, seems to be staking their claim on us now. It’s going to be an interesting time as to how things develop.

[@lynnm6413]

I had thought that to secure the monarchy Charles would be skipped as not to give the populace a reason the tear the system down because of a less than glamourous king. Being very unkind here, but the cancer diagnosis of both Charles and Kathrine and his stiff upper lip dealing with it, while still giving his son a sort of shield from having to take on more than he might want with his wife sick and the little ones, has made me respect him much more. I‘m not the sort to follow the Gossip, but the Drama around Diana, the age difference and his decade long cheating had lowered my opinion of him to below zero. I did, honestly, find it very funny to see a German aristocratic house thrive in England when I found out about the royal line. What one needs to consider, however, is the only reason we Germans get to admire the -German- English royalty is exactly the fact that they are not to blame for the world wars. Had we not gotten rid of the aristocracy around here, we would forever be reminded how Hitler came to power and how the Kaiser was itching to play soldiers in 1914. So yes, Charles is doing better than expected, and the Brits need something to be proud of after the Brexit disaster…. To be continued…..

[@britingermany]

haha ...to be continued...yes we will see if they can survive the digital age

[@lynnm6413]

@@britingermany well, photo editing is best left to the professionals 😅

[@AJ-hi9fd]

My problem with King Charles is his dalliance with the WEF, you are the Carbon he would like to reduce, and whilst he circumvents the planet in a private jet you must stay at home. Whilst he heats many homes and castles you must shiver. Whilst he eats the best Aberdeen Angus beef you must reduce your meat intake. Unfortunately it seems his eldest son is just the same.

[@holger_p]

@@lynnm6413 It's very intrusive, intimidating, inpolite to expect other persons to publicly talk about their deseases. You de-humanize the royal family. I don't see any respect to privacy in you. You proof, shielding is necessary.

[@lynnm6413]

@@AJ-hi9fd the hypocrisy of the rich never changes, be they old or new money... Worse in this case, gotta agree... What shocked me this week was that renters on houses on royal lands don't get to buy the house after 30 years or so... as seems to be common everywhere else. That really took me aback, but I haven't looked into to it, just happened to catch a yt video. That kind of ish is why we are quite happy to enjoy the aristocracy from afar! 😬

[@BritishBeachcomber]

Actually, the British royal family are a mixed up bunch, like most of us. German, Greek, French, Dutch, Spanish, and a few more.

[@artrandy]

Without the benefit of DNA tests, history tells us that the late Queen Elizabeth was 50% Scottish, with some English blood, the other 50% being predominantly German, but also with Danish blood, i.e. her paternal Great Grandmother..........

[@L._S._DE]

Very interesting thoughts. I really like that you differentiate and show that things are not black and white :)

[@piano40s]

Having travelled to many country's in my life lived in Germany for 3 years they were the closest I felt to out of them all ( once I learnt a few of their words) the Queen was respected all over the world never heard a bad thing about her in any of them.

[@binaway]

Queen Victoria was conceived in Germany. When it became apart her fathers elder brothers would be childless her German mother rushed to England so the baby, which would probably be the future Monarch, would be British born. Had she be born male she would also have inherited the Monarchy of Hanover. This went to her uncle as Hanover could only had a male monarch. What would Bismark have done in 1871 if British and Hanover had the same King .

[@barryrahn5957]

I think the fact that the monarchy is not voted into office, but is ushered in through succession, reassures people like there's a continuous guiding hand over the country. That ancient tradition still holds sway and all is not constant change or looming anarchy.

[@GugelHupf55]

30 years ago I was an au pair in London. Whenever I go back to the UK I'm shocked about how much the British culture has been replaced by a multicultural mishmash. Where has the unique britishness gone I loved so much?

[@Pump-j2i]

It’s an atrocity what the establishment has done to this country. Millions of economic migrants brought here against the will of the people. The establishment continues to do this, with nearly two million a year being brought into the country under a “conservative” Govt! It’s an act of genocide by the UN’s own definition, a great replacement of the indigenous people and bringing about the conditions (on purpose) to destroy them as an ethnic group.

[@tomaseire]

Queen Mary of Teck, the Queen’s Grandmother spoke English with a German accent! I remember the Queen’s last visit to Germany and the crowds that turned out to greet her and the Duke of Edinburgh was most striking. King Charles III. On his last visit spoke in the Reichstag in German and the Germans like their own! With the collapse of the Kaiser Reich in 1918, Germany did not want a Republic. The Weimar Republic was imposed on them by Lloyd George and President Wilson with disastrous consequences.

[@jangelbrich7056]

I was actually surprised (as German) when I was younger, when I learned that there was a German relation with Windsor at all (these history things are not taught in school). And it took me many more years (in an era long before the internet) to find what that relation was ... personally I do not know anyone having affection for or against the Queen. Since Germany has no more kings nor emperors since 1918, it is rather "interesting" to see other countries that did keep up monarchies ... but that is all "politics", You know, too complicated for "common people" ...

[@britingermany]

Haha. Hope you’re doing well Jan

[@rosaliegolding5549]

It’s the English Government that has the say deciding and requesting where the Royals visit but I’m due the Royals feed their opinions to the Government and is taken on board their valuable ideas and opinions 🤷‍♀️

[@QuoPaperPlane]

I wish England did have it's own government but alas, It's the British government with a dissolved Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Assembly.

[@neilfazackerley7758]

Quite a lot of Germans seem to like the gossip factor or the propensity for scandal that comes with the royals too.

[@britingermany]

Definitely

[@carolinejohnson22]

I think the whole world respected the Queen 👑. She had real power and clout 👑🇬🇧

[@leehotspur9679]

She was staunch and loved her Commonwealth and its people ,who she showed respect and guidance for the better

[@angelabushby1891]

We lived in married quarters for 3 years in Germany 1969 to 1972 and loved every minute,didn't want to come home,happy day's

[@copferthat]

Many appear to think that Saxe Coburg Gotta is a surname, it isn't, it's simply the place they came from. Prince Albert's real surname is Emmanuel and his first Christian name is Franz.

[@kinnish5267]

so very interesting, I know Americans are obsessed with the Royal Family but that Germany has an interest too is shocking

[@flitsertheo]

As they say in Germany : "Britain is the Blitz !"

[@GeorgianaMicu-c6x]

I'm Romanian and I also grew up with brothers' Grimm fairytales

[@annabenjamin6584]

هدا الرجل ليس غريب عني 😮 وكأنني اعرفه هل كنت تعيش في جنوب بريطانيا Brighton؟

[@madcyclist58]

I remember watching a German TV documentary series "Ein jahr am Englichen Konigshaus"

[@PeterJPickles]

Britain and Germany are so alike, we keep falling out, facts.

[@QuoPaperPlane]

Two world wars. Two opposing sides. Where else have these two fallen out? I could understand if you were talking of the Frogs!

[@alia9087]

when I moved to Germany 25 years ago it was common to show TV footage of the royal family hunting and bloodying. Something that, until that time, had never been shown on UK TV. Also, I think it depends where you are in Germany as to how much they like the British. I am in an area that was very pro the Austrian moustached man and his N party. The British are not exactly loved and one of my neighbours would love me not to be here. Most are OK but not all

[@britingermany]

Sounds like you've given yourself a challenge😉

[@alia9087]

@@britingermany just got used to it. Like everywhere, some people are ok

[@albionmyl7735]

Come to Westfalia friend we have been the former British military sector.... many soldiers remain here after army time......we love them and we are west Saxons and founded the Kingdom of Wessex..... the english are family to us❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@alia9087]

@@albionmyl7735 I am in NRW and I only need to drive half an hour away and the people are lovely. I am in a small area of small towns and villages. Lippe. But, many thanks for the kind words

[@albionmyl7735]

@@alia9087 do you know the town Beverungen in Westphalia? Their is a correspondence in East Sussex there was a former village called Beverington..... In this days you can find the Beverington road in Eastbourne.... it's proofed that people from Westphalia founded this village...... The Anglo-Saxon history is my special interest.... and I have been many times in England..... never met nicer people in this world.... we are connected with our DNA.... 🌹🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@OnlineEnglish-wl5rp]

I never knew that. Very interesting

[@britingermany]

Hello there and thanks a lot 😀

[@oskarprotzer3000]

I care about history, castles, battles, lineage and so on, but not at all for the gossip, pomp and glamour. I am 26 and german

[@britingermany]

Each to his own. Thanks for sharing 😀

[@nigellee9824]

I always have to bite my lip, whenever the Queen is mentioned…RIP….

[@BobAbc0815]

I think back in the 90s a German Movie was made, set in an alternate Future, where Britain becomes an Republic and the Royal Family gets deported (back) to Hanover.

[@frasermitchell9183]

Well, it might be because our Royal Family is actually German ! The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. If you stand in the market place in Coburg you will see a very fine statue of Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. It was King George V wo changed the name to Windsor during the First World War.

[@philipmilner9638]

It does not surprise me in the least that many Germans admire the Queen. She was admired the world over, by millions of people...

[@peterwimsey5904]

perhaps Germany should return to a monarchy system. You have lots of palaces to house them and plenty of suitably connected candidates - enough for one monarch per state. I don't really get the "aspirational" thing. Do we all aspire to live in palaces and go around all day waving and shaking hands?

[@RickHall-nh4nb]

I think that its a respect both country have for each other . We 8n the uk see thd good in germany as do the germans in the uk . Its mutual respect evan hitler said give me british soldiers and germang generals and i will rule the world

[@martinbinder2534]

7:40 That is what I was just thinking.😂

[@torquaymouse2236]

Nice video.

[@britingermany]

Many thanks

[@ub681904]

From lower saxony. We're glad that we got rid of the Welfen in 1866 and the Hohenzollern in 1919.

[@AntiWokeXyCitizen]

I spent 10 years working in Germany, not a very pleasant experience. Naturalised Turks and Russians weren't that friendly to me and caused so much problems at the workplace with other colleagues. The older German population, specially visiting pubs are OK sober..

[@michaelmayo3127]

Well, Queen Elizabeth was of German/Danish heritage, so now small wonder that some Germans would feel a lose!!

[@gerhardma4297]

There is nothing, absolutely nothing i love about the UK but there are a lot of things i really like. But i could not care less about the Royal Family. I would be interested to know how much you are generalizing here. On what basis do you make your statements?

[@britingermany]

I referenced quite a few sources such as DW, the critic, bayrische Rundfunk etc. language, culture basically anything which references more than one person will always be a generalisation and there will always be exceptions

[@MaxwellMoore-d1u]

The British Royal Family are German in Heritage. So we share that .I can understand the Germans showing Respect. The American infatuation even Obsession is Baffling to me ,Seeing has they got Rid of the Monachy in 1776 .And became a Full on Republic.

[@britingermany]

I think they like the mystery and the glamour

[@andrewshore2898]

I’m not right wing, but in the same instance, I am struggling to identify with my own country. I currently see the monarchy as nothing more than a curio, and in terms of keeping them - it’s just a case of better the Devil you know!

[@Stand663]

When you say German lineage, it is purely because the small dukedom of Hannover was where they found nearest Protestant bloodline. Elizabeth I, our virgin Queen left, no descendants. There was a small connection in the house of orange, in the Netherlands, but they were occupied by catholic Spain who were our enemies at the time.

[@trydowave]

Is it our distinct smell?

[@BJHolloway1]

A great synopsis

[@britingermany]

Thank you 😀

[@oliverlondon5246]

Why Germany and the UK aren’t much closer allies has always puzzled me. They are the two largest counties in Europe and have much more in common with each other, than with the French. Recently, this must have to do with the Tory government which is rather inward focused, instead of engaging actively in foreign policies beyond Brexit. Hopefully, this will change after the elections. And yes, maybe the „German“ royal family can help with this as well as bit

[@britingermany]

Here’s to hoping 🙏

[@mazt68]

We were allies for many years - it was only in the 20th Century that we fought against Germany, & I do not doubt you know & understand the reasons why.

[@chrisstucker1813]

In the early 20th century, Germany was becoming too strong for the UK’s liking. They feared the German Empire dominating the European continent and posing a threat to British industrial power.

[@Piden-l4b]

Maybe Prince Harry can become the new King of Germany! Nobody else seems to want him.

[@n1vca]

I am generation boomer and I personally love the British for their outstanding homour and friendliness, my limited historic knowledge generates not only positive feelings about the Queen and the Royals in general. But my heart warms up when I see the Queen getting out of the backseat of her Jaguar, crammed with maybe 10 corgis on the Airfield boarding their private jet, that is just the best compensation of her often stiff and cold image. To me it is obviously absurd that some people nobody ever voted for feel superior over others when they have never achieved anything extrodinary. I find that entire concept just as silly as some very disturbed German neo nazis are proud to be German ... That doesn't make any sense, because they didn't have to do anything but continue breathing after birth. 😂 Maybe for them breathing is an intellectual challenge, then it could almost make sense from their perspective. Ironically British and Germans are both coming across quite seriously, but the British can switch gears are be absolutely brilliant and hilarious, which is something most Germans have to work on. They can abstract seriousness and also insert smart, silly and sometimes self-deprecating humor which I love them for, which is a very unique trait that creates all the sympathy in the world to me. I do that a lot too and see mixed reactions from my fellow German colleagues, while my friends also like it and I guess I chose them because they are along the same alley.

[@johnsmith-eh3yc]

The queens mother was a bowes lyon, and old anglo scottish family. We dont indulge the mysoginist idea that a person is of only their fathers heritage even if it is royal, which of course in reality a meaningless concept. She also had british ancestry on her fathers side albeit a minority in comparison to the german. Nonetheless she would have had more british than german heritage. Different of course for charles who inherited german ancestry also from his father. However at least he married diana who was largely british. William marrying kate means that when George becomes king he will be the most british king in hundreds of years. But calling elizabeth german, that is typically german, like saying volkswagon cars pass emmission controls

[@irene3196]

As the generations roll on, the "German-ness" of the RF becomes less. After all, Prince William's wife is English therefore his children have more English genes than he has. But it was always nice to see how welcome Queen Elizabeth was in Germany.

[@tonycasey3183]

The Germans get to have their own Royal Family in the British monarchy, it doesn't have any influence on their politics, but the UK gets to pay for it.

[@britingermany]

Not a bad deal right 😉

[@B-A-L]

The Royal Family doesn't have any political influence anyway.

[@tonycasey3183]

@@B-A-L go tell Charlie to stop writing letters to prime ministers, business leaders, heads of charities and the like. In fact, tell the lot of them to stfu and mind their own business. Their position gives them way too much influence with no responsibility. No official Political position, but way too much political influence.

[@leehotspur9679]

@@B-A-L Charles is WEF Thats Enough

[@johnrambo99999]

My brother-in-law is German, he loves his 1966 england football top....wierdo.

[@TC-qd1zw]

Because Germans are the leading family. She looked after the German position.

[@deborahhobbins7131]

Its not surprise they are us we are them the royal family are german saxons we are also norman we are also vikings in fact we are everyone

[@Angelcynn_2001]

We are everyone 😂good joke. Don't give away my identity

[@pipercharms7374]

I personally have hope for the future of the UK, only if we kick out the conservatives though. I think the conservatives look to the past too much and the majority of our problems come from them. I will be looking to move abroad if the conservatives stay in power, since I feel like I'll feel very alienated with the other brits around me who voted for them. I already feel alienated due to brexit but I have hope that things will look up slowly, after the current government is kicked out.

[@Mugtree]

Hi Brit here. Agree us loosing the monarchy would most likely lead to a full blow identity crises. I am a massive royalist and prefer our Royal Family over our utterly corrupt government. It's so nice to hear the Germans still (hopefully) like us. I have lots of German friends and go to Germany most years. Absolutely love Germany. With Brexit I feel embarrassed and ashamed of what we have become or are now perceived (we are still nice - honest). Hopefully, one day, we will be back into the European family and we can work together to make it a better place. We are after all cousins

[@calgarycanada248]

Your takes are great! The Royal family is not perfect and there is a ton of both serious and superficial fodder made of that in the "news"; but what I notice is: As the world rapidly changes in many cases to a point of " self-destruction" it appears that what The Royal Family as an institution represents is stability and basic decency to our fellow human beings and obligation to our planet. They are, IMO, a general force for good. That is why the Germans like them. If The Royals were not.... then Germans would not have their respect.

[@britingermany]

Yeah good point. So far they’ve managed to navigate the drama quite well

[@ReinholdOtto]

That the British royal family has German roots is seen a mere factoid. I feel that if it does anything for the infatuation, it works rather as a flaw, it threatens to make them less British.

[@holger_p]

But that's only an aspect for Brits, "how british is the king". It's a question asked nowhere in the world. It's like the question how much relation have todays egyptians to the pharaos. Do they identify with them, or not ? Nobody cares, nobody notices.

[@Opa_Andre]

When it comes to the British royal family, I'm pretty dispassionate. I'm not interested in the gossip, especially about Harry and Meghan. The only two people who have interested me in this context were Queen Elizabeth and Lady Di. I liked the Queen, for example, because of her ability to appear statesmanlike and reserved while at the same time using subtle means to show her contacts what she really thought of them. And Lady Di because of her closeness to the people. Both women were truly outstanding personalities in my eyes. I only found the scurrilous lies and attacks by the British press to be bad. What they found out afterwards through covert research was truly despicable. Apart from that, I often like the dry, British humor, as long as it doesn't refer to specific historical events and you can understand the content as a foreigner.

[@MrBulky992]

... and let us not forget the BBC's role in fuelling Diana's paranoia over conspiracies against her: forged bank statements and lies about her staff being in the pay of the Palace, all in aid of persuading her to give her disastrous television interview to Martin Bashir (leading to her subsequent divorce). She believed what she was told - that they were "out to get her" and that no one was to be trusted. He and those who supported him still remain unpunished for what they did.

[@oskarprotzer3000]

my grandma is 85 years old and has an iphone, mainly for communicating. But of course she watches weird royal family gossip AI youtube shorts xD

[@britingermany]

Wow that’s pretty impressive

[@ageoflove1980]

From my own experience after doing extensive research in local bars aided by ample beer, the UK is unfortunately not that popular in Germany. There are several causes for this as far as I understand. First of all there is of course the football. This sounds very trivial but is not to be underestimated. Especially the behaviour of English fans in the past has led to, well, lets just say they are not the ideal ambassadors for the UK... Secondly, there is the "B" word... The choice the UK made to seperate from the EU is accepted, but not really understood. In a world where China, Russia, the US under Trump and all that are acting quite strange, reality seems increasingly insecure. Brexit is kind of seen as a betrayal in a time where it is very important for European countries to be united in their resolve. Plus, the EU is absolulutely essential in the daily functioning of so many businesses in Germany and its neighboring countries. Brexit is seen as a rather counter productive endevour in that regard, so it just doesnt make sense to many Germans. Thirdly there is of course the language. Most Brits just dont speak any German at all. Especially when Brits just start conversations in English without even asking if this is ok, this can come across as arrogant. Germans themselves do this all the time in The Netherlands though as most dont speak Dutch, so take that with a grain of salt. It is just a simple reality that many older people in Germany, especially in the east of the country, just dont speak English very well and this can lead to awkward situations. During the GDR times, people had no English education at all. The only foreign language taught at schools was of course Russian so when visiting, take that in to consideration. Im sure however all of this is nothing personal and there is no specific bias, let alone anger towards Brits so there is absolutely no reason not to visit.