A quick thank you to Laurie Ruettimann for saying nice things about me on her blog earlier this week.
I’m not sure why she chose to illustrate her post with a picture of Prince Charles in a pub. Perhaps she has an image of me as a suave, wealthy, upper-class chappie. I’m afraid none of that is true. The only thing that does ring true about the photo is the situation. I am often seen shouting across a pub with a pint in my hand.
Flip Chart Fairy Tales 
Interesting comparison.
North Americans see us British as either
1. City bankers/Pin stripe suits related to royalty (obviously this was how Laurie saw you)
or
2. Punk rock/Johnny Rotten types
The picture just made me laugh — the Prince is no ‘regular joe’ (as we say in America) yet he’s downing a pint in a pub. Lots of contradictions in the image.
Although I will say that Jonathan’s point about how Americans view the British is almost 100% true. We also think of you as Dick Van Dyke in the movie Mary Poppins.
corr blimey guvnor – don’t you mean a film?
Actually Laurie, I know Rick, and if I knew how to do so I would attach a photo of him. I shall try to paste it below.
Curses! It didn’t work. I shall have to ask an IT friend how to do it.
By the way, he does drink beer in pubs, but he doesn’t look like Prince Charles.