SARABANDE ORATORIA

I was unable to avert my gaze. The only things that got me through the telecast in its entirety was listening to "dark ritual" style music (such as Jimmy Page's soundtrack to "Lucifer Rising") to evoke the true, underlying nature of the ceremony (not demons and other such silliness, of course, but rather...wait, read to the end to follow a link so you can see how queercore director Bruce LaBruce eloquently sums it up!), and fantasizing about what Prince William might have really said in a secret address to his inner retinue, secure in the knowledge that he was rebranding the House of Windsor and thereby contributing to its longevity:

"Brother Blackshirts, my comrades in struggle:

Our fight is for the soul, and in that battle we go forward together till victory be won. Our struggle is hard, because we are fighting for something great, and great things are not lightly or easily gained. We are fighting for nothing less than a revolution in the spirit of our people. We must be worthy of our mission, for blackshirts are those who are summoned to lead the people to a new and a higher civilization.

The Blackshirt is a revolutionary dedicated to the service of our country. We must always possess the character of the true revolutionary. It is not the character that you observe in the little men of the old parties, blown hither and thither by every gust of convenience opinion, elated by a little success, downcast by a little failure, gossiping and chattering about the prospects of the next five minutes, jostling for place, but not so forward in service. Without loyalty, endurance, or staying power, such a character is the hallmark of financial democratic politics.

In the true revolutionary, the first quality is the power to endure. Constancy, loyalty to cause and comrades, manhood and stability of nature. These are the qualities of the true revolutionary. In our movement that great character is being reborn. And for that reason we carry within us destiny. We care not whether we win tomorrow morning or at the end of a lifetime of labour and of struggle. For to us the little calculations of the little men mean nothing. All we care is that win we will because no power on earth can hold down the will within us.

Struggles we have had and will have. Blows we have taken and will again. Victories we have had and will have again. Through good and ill we march on, till victory be won, for this is the character of the true revolutionary. In the great moments of supreme struggle and decision it is easy to hold that character, even in supreme sacrifice. It is not so easy in the hard daily task. It is then even more that in the great fights we have together that I would like to be the companion of every one of you. I would like to be with every action team that carries the message of our new faith to new streets. I would like to be with every man or woman during the hard but vital job of giving leadership to the people in the block of houses for which they are responsible.

For these are the jobs that come, by the dedication of thousands to that mission of leading the people in their own homes and streets, revolution is won. In that task I cannot in body be with everyone of you every day. But in spirit I am with you always. Together we have lit a flame that the atheists shall not extinguish. Guard that sacred flame my brother Blackshirts until it illumines and lights again the path of mankind".


I have to thank derridata as well for alerting me to additional relevant commentary here.