During her long reign, Queen Victoria was not only the monarch of her native land but was also dubbed Empress of India by one of her favorite prime ministers. India was then part of the British Empire (which covered a quarter of the globe at the time) and giving her this meaningless title is perhaps history's biggest act of flattery. Yet this silly title only helped to solidify her role as the world's most important ruler.
Today, there are very few monarchs left and many of them don't have much power. Even back then Queen Victoria didn't have any real political power. In fact, there's a whole bunch of descendants of European royalty living among us in NYC, quietly living their lives, devoid of any authority.
But if our city has one true monarch today it's Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He may not be an official royal but he's the closest thing we have. The richest and most powerful man in town, he wields political and economic power that even Queen Victoria might envy. He has been dubbed the King of New York and just about everyone agrees it's an apt title. None dare cross him. None dare question him. He rules. We are his subjects.
And he's not just the King of New York! He's also the Emperor of Bermuda. Mayor Bloomberg lives part time on that small island in the Atlantic ocean. This exhaustive New York Times piece examines Bloomberg's life in Bermuda, where he apparently goes at least twice a month and is well known by all. He travels there on his private plane, plays lots of rounds of golfs, hits the best restaurants, and parties down. Plus he has a lavish, enormous mansion that is apparently the most spectacular home on the island.
You gotta hand it to this guy. In the post-colonial era, where monarchs and empires are basically elaborate jokes, Mayor Bloomberg has managed not only to become the most powerful man in the world's greatest city but also the first citizen of an entire country. Louis XIV himself would be impressed. Mike really is the ultimate royal New Yorker, our city's first self-made king.
Today, there are very few monarchs left and many of them don't have much power. Even back then Queen Victoria didn't have any real political power. In fact, there's a whole bunch of descendants of European royalty living among us in NYC, quietly living their lives, devoid of any authority.
But if our city has one true monarch today it's Mayor Michael Bloomberg. He may not be an official royal but he's the closest thing we have. The richest and most powerful man in town, he wields political and economic power that even Queen Victoria might envy. He has been dubbed the King of New York and just about everyone agrees it's an apt title. None dare cross him. None dare question him. He rules. We are his subjects.
And he's not just the King of New York! He's also the Emperor of Bermuda. Mayor Bloomberg lives part time on that small island in the Atlantic ocean. This exhaustive New York Times piece examines Bloomberg's life in Bermuda, where he apparently goes at least twice a month and is well known by all. He travels there on his private plane, plays lots of rounds of golfs, hits the best restaurants, and parties down. Plus he has a lavish, enormous mansion that is apparently the most spectacular home on the island.
You gotta hand it to this guy. In the post-colonial era, where monarchs and empires are basically elaborate jokes, Mayor Bloomberg has managed not only to become the most powerful man in the world's greatest city but also the first citizen of an entire country. Louis XIV himself would be impressed. Mike really is the ultimate royal New Yorker, our city's first self-made king.
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