Editorial: Hitting the right note on the new King’s big day

The Dutch are as unimaginative when it comes to these pompous events as we are

It’s hard to imagine the sound of rap ricocheting off the columns of Westminster Abbey at a British coronation, or royal wedding. On those occasions the tunes are always supplied by the likes of Elgar or Handel, not Eminem.

Evidently, the Dutch are as unimaginative when it comes to these pompous events as we are. Perhaps tiring of an unsought reputation for trendiness, a mass revolt by listeners has forced the national enthronement committee to dump its plans to play a half-rap, half-folk melody, the work of a Dutch-British composer, at Prince Willem-Alexander’s investiture as King on 30 April. Protesters said it was like a Eurovision entry and sounded “imbecilic”.

The lyrics are indeed excruciating and perhaps the composer, John Ewbank, missed the mark. But, turning back to royal events in this country, a break from Pomp and Circumstance or Zadok the Priest would still be a good idea.