An inexplicable article on the Iranian state television website. “But the entire royal family is decidedly German.”
Is Queen Elizabeth II the legitimate monarch of the United Kingdom? In an article published on Thursday, Iran's state television station questions the queen's right to the throne.
"The monarchy is believed to be an outdated institution in the modern world that moves towards democracy, because the Queen cannot be held to account at the ballot box and there is nothing to stop her abusing her power because under Britain’s law, civil and criminal proceedings cannot be taken against the Queen," Press TV notes.
Also: "the entire royal family is decidedly German." The British royal family did change its surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917, amid anti-German feeling, and British royals have had German descent since the beginning of the House of Hanover in 1714. But it's common for European royal families to have bloodlines reaching throughout the continent.
Furthermore, Press TV says "It is clear that the official Churches of England and Scotland, in which the Queen plays a role, cannot legitimize her power."
It's unclear what prompted Iranian television to take on the British monarchy, though the UK is one of many NATO countries that have enforced sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
