December 18, 2024 • 10 mins
In honor of the holiday season, we are re-releasing our 12 Days of Christmas special! For the next 12 days, we will re-release one episode a day, each one with our own spin on the classic holiday theme, "The 12 Days of Christmas."
Katie shares some of the privileges that the Queen has.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
all right.
On the seventh day of christmas, my true love gave to me seven
swans.
A swimming that was beautifulkatie thank you, I'm.
I have an album coming out withTony Bennett.
You're going to love it.
(00:29):
So, cindy, I do have to issue abit of a correction.
If you think back to thepodcast, where we were talking
about Queen Elizabeth yourfavorite Queen Elizabeth,
obviously, as I recall we weretalking about Queen.
Elizabeth, your favorite.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Queen Elizabeth, obviously, as I recall we were
talking about how she reignsover dolphins and swans, correct
?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So while it is true that she does lay claim, or she
can lay claim, to all the swansin the United Kingdom, she only
exercises that right over theswans on a certain stretch of
the Thames River and sometributaries.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Oh, what does she got against the other swans?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
I guess she's like you know what I have so much?
I've got like $6 million worthof Land Rovers.
I've got the largest uncutdiamond in the world, which is
true um.
Do I really need all the swans?
Just some of this, all, justsome of them.
I don't want to get greedy.
Who does?
(01:36):
She's so magnanimous to leavethe rest for the rest of us,
except for us filthy colonists,but that's another story.
So she, she, lays claim tothose swans, and would you also
know that on a yearly basis,they count how many swans there
are?
There's like a yearly swanroundup, and they count, they're
(01:58):
caught, they're ringed and thenthey're set free.
And there's someone who has theofficial title of the Queen's
Swan Warden.
That's an official job.
That's so elegant, I know.
And so this got me thinkingabout other ridiculous royal
laws or laws and rules that arekind of associated with the
(02:20):
monarchy.
And, as you had mentioned, shealso lays claim to all of the,
the dolphins in the waters, andit only extends for actually
five kilometers, which is aboutthree miles, um and the, the,
the?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
um waters outside the united kingdom so so like
porpoises can like swim in, belike I'm part of the realm.
I'm not part of the realm.
Watch me.
Ruled by a queen, not ruled bya queen.
Exactly, international waters,exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And it's not just dolphins and porpoises, but it's
also sturgeons and whales, andshe also lays claim to any of
them that are caught in thewaters five kilometers out or
that wash up on the beach.
Those are all legally hers.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You mean the carcasses that wash up?
Yes, Mine.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yes, those are hers, and this law actually dates from
1324.
That's how long that this hasbeen in place.
Not that she, you know, takesadvantage of it, but it does
exist.
Should you know, a beautifulbeached minke whale wash up.
That's hers.
Dibs.
Most interesting law, kind ofsurrounding the crown, is that
(03:29):
it is protected by sovereignimmunity.
Do you any inkling on what thatmight mean for the queen?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
That means she can take things, bring them back to
her country and be like I'mimmune, Like you can't do
anything about it.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Kind of so she can.
She can literally commit anycrime and not be prosecuted.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Oh, we're not talking about just whale carcasses
anymore.
No, no, no.
Oh, I mean in general in all ofEngland.
Oh, we're not talking aboutjust whale carcasses anymore.
No, no, no, oh, I mean ingeneral In all of England.
Oh, any kind of immunity?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So sovereign immunity , because the sovereign is
considered the quote unquotefont of justice and from which
all laws are created and lawsflow.
The person who represents thatcan't.
It would look bad if she evergot, you know, convicted of a
felony.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Swiping a sweater from Target, but it's not Target
.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Primark.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yes, swiping a sweater from Primark.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Exactly.
She can steal all the uglyChristmas sweaters that she
wants.
She will not be prosecuted.
She could murder, literallymurder someone, and she could
theoretically avoid prosecution.
And not only is she exempt fromany kind of criminal charges,
(04:53):
but also any kind of civilcharges, and she cannot be
compelled to give evidence incourt.
And that's according to a 1911court ruling.
I don't know if you're aware ofthis scandal, George V, her
(05:13):
grandfather, was accused ofbigamy and he had to defend
himself in court to say no, I'mnot a bigamist.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Interesting, and so that's when they came up with
the law.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
No, that was just like a legal precedence to
support the law, to say like youreally don't have to give
evidence in court, you don't,you know, you can't be civilly
sued or criminally prosecuted inany which way.
Interesting.
So since then, I mean as far aswe know, the queen hasn't
committed any crimes.
But would you?
(05:46):
I can't imagine that going toall of these grocery store
openings, openings, or likevisiting schools she hasn't been
tempted to just like steal agranola bar, make her feel,
still feel alive.
I'm the queen, I can take this,this is mine, and her sovereign
(06:09):
immunity also extends to theportions of the Commonwealth.
So she can literally go toAustralia, strangle a koala and
she will not be prosecuted.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now wait a minute.
But she can only do that withinher own realm, so to speak.
Yes, does she have any immunityif she were to come to, let's
say, america and strangle akoala bear at a zoo here?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
She would technically have diplomatic immunity.
But again, from what I've read,it's not a good look and the
British government would have todo something about it.
It would probably, depending onthe seriousness of the crime,
(07:03):
they may withdraw that immunity,but I feel like it'd have to be
something pretty darn seriousfor Queen Elizabeth to be
abandoned by the government ofthe United Kingdom.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think that's also also the part of being Queen
Elizabeth is that she can walkaround in her matching hat and
dress and shoes and be like youall realize I could murder you
all right now, but I choose notto.
I think her power comes fromnot exercising the power you
(07:37):
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yes, it's like Lord of the Rings and Frodo he has
the one ring.
He could use it, but he choosesnot to.
So the queen is literally theembodiment of that she has all
the power, but she chooses notto.
She's the greatest hero of ourgeneration.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Which begs the question though who is her
Samwise Gamgee Katie, her corgi,her corgi, her corgi, her corgi
?
I think she only has one left.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
No, I think she got another one, but it's like a mix
.
It's a mix Like a mutt yeah, Ithink so.
They're like the Tom Bombadils,like they hang around for a
little bit but then, after likefive pages of them just singing,
you're like.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Tom Bombadil.
He's a character in Lord of theRings.
He's a character in Lord of theRings.
Which Lord of the Rings moviedid you see?
You're one of those who readthe books, didn't you?
Katie?
The book, who actually readsthe books, katie?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
you say that with such judgment in your voice, I
feel like our friendship is over, cindy.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
No, no, that's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
I'm very happy for you.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I feel judged and attacked right now, and all your
extra time and your ability totranslate.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
And all your extra time that you have on your hands
to read that stupid book.
Well, that's fascinating, andso that is the story of Queen
Elizabeth's sovereign immunityand her iron grip on the
population of swans throughoutthe UK.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Her white gloved grip .
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yes, velvet glove over steel fist.
She's not going to give thoseswans up.
I'll give you most of them, butnot the ones on the Thames and
related tributaries.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
It's good to be the queen, thank you.
all right.
On the seventh day of christmas, my true love gave to me seven
swans.
A swimming that was beautifulkatie thank you, I'm.
I have an album coming out withTony Bennett.
You're going to love it.
(00:29):
So, cindy, I do have to issue abit of a correction.
If you think back to thepodcast, where we were talking
about Queen Elizabeth yourfavorite Queen Elizabeth,
obviously, as I recall we weretalking about Queen.
Elizabeth, your favorite.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Queen Elizabeth, obviously, as I recall we were
talking about how she reignsover dolphins and swans, correct
?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
So while it is true that she does lay claim, or she
can lay claim, to all the swansin the United Kingdom, she only
exercises that right over theswans on a certain stretch of
the Thames River and sometributaries.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Oh, what does she got against the other swans?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
I guess she's like you know what I have so much?
I've got like $6 million worthof Land Rovers.
I've got the largest uncutdiamond in the world, which is
true um.
Do I really need all the swans?
Just some of this, all, justsome of them.
I don't want to get greedy.
Who does?
(01:36):
She's so magnanimous to leavethe rest for the rest of us,
except for us filthy colonists,but that's another story.
So she, she, lays claim tothose swans, and would you also
know that on a yearly basis,they count how many swans there
are?
There's like a yearly swanroundup, and they count, they're
(01:58):
caught, they're ringed and thenthey're set free.
And there's someone who has theofficial title of the Queen's
Swan Warden.
That's an official job.
That's so elegant, I know.
And so this got me thinkingabout other ridiculous royal
laws or laws and rules that arekind of associated with the
(02:20):
monarchy.
And, as you had mentioned, shealso lays claim to all of the,
the dolphins in the waters, andit only extends for actually
five kilometers, which is aboutthree miles, um and the, the,
the?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
um waters outside the united kingdom so so like
porpoises can like swim in, belike I'm part of the realm.
I'm not part of the realm.
Watch me.
Ruled by a queen, not ruled bya queen.
Exactly, international waters,exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And it's not just dolphins and porpoises, but it's
also sturgeons and whales, andshe also lays claim to any of
them that are caught in thewaters five kilometers out or
that wash up on the beach.
Those are all legally hers.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
You mean the carcasses that wash up?
Yes, Mine.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
Yes, those are hers, and this law actually dates from
1324.
That's how long that this hasbeen in place.
Not that she, you know, takesadvantage of it, but it does
exist.
Should you know, a beautifulbeached minke whale wash up.
That's hers.
Dibs.
Most interesting law, kind ofsurrounding the crown, is that
(03:29):
it is protected by sovereignimmunity.
Do you any inkling on what thatmight mean for the queen?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
That means she can take things, bring them back to
her country and be like I'mimmune, Like you can't do
anything about it.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Kind of so she can.
She can literally commit anycrime and not be prosecuted.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Oh, we're not talking about just whale carcasses
anymore.
No, no, no.
Oh, I mean in general in all ofEngland.
Oh, we're not talking aboutjust whale carcasses anymore.
No, no, no, oh, I mean ingeneral In all of England.
Oh, any kind of immunity?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So sovereign immunity , because the sovereign is
considered the quote unquotefont of justice and from which
all laws are created and lawsflow.
The person who represents thatcan't.
It would look bad if she evergot, you know, convicted of a
felony.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Swiping a sweater from Target, but it's not Target
.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Primark.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Yes, swiping a sweater from Primark.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Exactly.
She can steal all the uglyChristmas sweaters that she
wants.
She will not be prosecuted.
She could murder, literallymurder someone, and she could
theoretically avoid prosecution.
And not only is she exempt fromany kind of criminal charges,
(04:53):
but also any kind of civilcharges, and she cannot be
compelled to give evidence incourt.
And that's according to a 1911court ruling.
I don't know if you're aware ofthis scandal, George V, her
(05:13):
grandfather, was accused ofbigamy and he had to defend
himself in court to say no, I'mnot a bigamist.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Interesting, and so that's when they came up with
the law.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
No, that was just like a legal precedence to
support the law, to say like youreally don't have to give
evidence in court, you don't,you know, you can't be civilly
sued or criminally prosecuted inany which way.
Interesting.
So since then, I mean as far aswe know, the queen hasn't
committed any crimes.
But would you?
(05:46):
I can't imagine that going toall of these grocery store
openings, openings, or likevisiting schools she hasn't been
tempted to just like steal agranola bar, make her feel,
still feel alive.
I'm the queen, I can take this,this is mine, and her sovereign
(06:09):
immunity also extends to theportions of the Commonwealth.
So she can literally go toAustralia, strangle a koala and
she will not be prosecuted.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Now wait a minute.
But she can only do that withinher own realm, so to speak.
Yes, does she have any immunityif she were to come to, let's
say, america and strangle akoala bear at a zoo here?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
She would technically have diplomatic immunity.
But again, from what I've read,it's not a good look and the
British government would have todo something about it.
It would probably, depending onthe seriousness of the crime,
(07:03):
they may withdraw that immunity,but I feel like it'd have to be
something pretty darn seriousfor Queen Elizabeth to be
abandoned by the government ofthe United Kingdom.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think that's also also the part of being Queen
Elizabeth is that she can walkaround in her matching hat and
dress and shoes and be like youall realize I could murder you
all right now, but I choose notto.
I think her power comes fromnot exercising the power you
(07:37):
know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yes, it's like Lord of the Rings and Frodo he has
the one ring.
He could use it, but he choosesnot to.
So the queen is literally theembodiment of that she has all
the power, but she chooses notto.
She's the greatest hero of ourgeneration.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Which begs the question though who is her
Samwise Gamgee Katie, her corgi,her corgi, her corgi, her corgi
?
I think she only has one left.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
No, I think she got another one, but it's like a mix
.
It's a mix Like a mutt yeah, Ithink so.
They're like the Tom Bombadils,like they hang around for a
little bit but then, after likefive pages of them just singing,
you're like.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Tom Bombadil.
He's a character in Lord of theRings.
He's a character in Lord of theRings.
Which Lord of the Rings moviedid you see?
You're one of those who readthe books, didn't you?
Katie?
The book, who actually readsthe books, katie?
Speaker 1 (08:45):
you say that with such judgment in your voice, I
feel like our friendship is over, cindy.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
No, no, that's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
I'm very happy for you.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I feel judged and attacked right now, and all your
extra time and your ability totranslate.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
And all your extra time that you have on your hands
to read that stupid book.
Well, that's fascinating, andso that is the story of Queen
Elizabeth's sovereign immunityand her iron grip on the
population of swans throughoutthe UK.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Her white gloved grip .
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yes, velvet glove over steel fist.
She's not going to give thoseswans up.
I'll give you most of them, butnot the ones on the Thames and
related tributaries.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
It's good to be the queen, thank you.
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