The (satin) gloves are off
Former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson’s memoir, Heart Matters, is ruffling a few feathers across the pond. According to the Star, Clarkson “takes a swipe at [Queen Elizabeth II] for daring to powder her privileged puss during a fancy dinner party … and insists that such a breach of etiquette would never be tolerated in Canada.”
British manners experts, however, are none-too impressed by the former GG’s persnickety standards. “This woman is prissy,” says etiquette expert Liz Brewer.
Another manners maven, Gloria Starr (who is described in the Star article as a “global etiquette coach”) admits that applying lipstick at the table is rude, but wonders why Clarkson bothered to go there at all. As the Star reports, “By no means is Starr suggesting that royalty is beyond reproach. She does, however, advise that Clarkson should pick her battles. ‘Let’s face it, on the whole, on the subject of manners the monarchy is pretty good,’ she said.”
The overwhelming suggestion is that Clarkson has missed the point of manners, and has taken issue with relatively superfluous minutiae. Little wonder, then, that “Fleet Street is having a field day with the curious pretensions of this uppity Canuck.”
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Read the Toronto Star story here
