The Queen's Little Black Bag

Sure, my colonial instincts lead me to mock Queen Elizabeth the Second, and deservedly so; nevertheless, you really got to hand it to the old gal: living through the dissolution of the empire of Great Britain, losing everything but Wales and Scotland and a few counties in Eire and couple o' islands over on my side of the world.

Decades of public service all those public appearances and never breaking wind in public.

Jolly good show, old girl!

Yet even irony laden I remain fascinated with the royal family, like what does the Queen carry in her purse: packing heat, whiskey flask, couple thou' in denominations from different countries in case he has to flee the eventual peasant revolt?

[We already know the Queen, who's currentlycelebrating her Diamond Jubilee, allegedly (and hilariously) uses her purse to signal to her attendantswhether she's pleased as punch to be in company of her guests, or bored as heck and in need of a servant to pull her away from the situation.

And now Sally Bedell Smith, author of Elizabeth the Queen: The Woman Behind The Throne, dishes on the queen's purse contents in the Telegraph. Here are a few of the items:

• Reading glasses
• Mint lozenges
• A fountain pen
• "Rarely cash, except for the 'precisely folded' 5 pound or 10 pound note on Sundays," which she donates at church

A small mirror and lipstick, which she reportedly applies at the table (Hey, Her Majesty can do whatever she wants, 'kay?)]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/04/queen-elizabeth-purse_n_1254541.html?utm_hp_ref=queen-elizabeth-ii

You freakin' kidding me?  Old sow has castles out the wazoo and can only give 5 or ten pounds sterling silver at service?  Why not tithe a castle?