Today is St George’s Day, the national day of England. But where are all the flags and why aren’t we enjoying a public holiday in celebration? Well, actually, we English don’t really make that much of a fuss. Perhaps it’s something to do with our famous reserve.

Most English, typifying the phlegm and understatement, for which we are renowned,  are content to quietly slip under the radar just muddling along in true English fashion. Times have changed of course and a patriotic Victorian would barely recognise the England of today, or would he?

The reserve is still there, so too the inventiveness and wit, though few of today’s English leaders would be able to match the wit of Lord Palmerston, the great 19^th century Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister.

Evidently a fawning French diplomat (aren’t they all?) once said to the great man “If I were not French, I would wish to be English” to which Palmerston replied “If I was not English, I would wish to be English”.

I’ll drink to that! In fact, in a couple of hours time I will be doing so in the company of forty like-minded, red rose-wearing Englishmen celebrating our national day by enjoying some roast beef washed down by flagons of English ale. Actually most of us will be drinking French and Australian wine but English ale sounds so much better, doesn’t it!

May I leave the last word (literally) to Lord Palmerston.  As he lay on his death bed, fussed over by anxious medical staff, he exclaimed  “Die my dear doctor, that is the last thing I shall do”! An English wit to the end!

A Happy Saint George’s Day to one and all!