Why? I don't remember the Queen ever having a slave running around for her. Especially since she was born ... wait for it ... 88 years after slavery was abolished within the British Empire! Yes, I know that the Slave Trade Act of 1807 is marked as 'the end' of the slave trade, but let's be serious here, slave traders were only being fined £100 for every slave they had - hardly a serious deterrent. It was in 1834 that all slaves were 'freed', and in 1838 released from a system which was slavery by every other name.

Don't get me wrong, I like to remind Poms that, while celebrating their "We got rid of slavery!" parties, that their country was the one that started the whole modern slave trade in the first place. But I don't expect anyone to have to apologise for it. After all, what did the Queen do? Hell, that dude might as well apologise to me for, say, saying that their country has a good cricket team and that the 05/06 Ashes Series would be the best ever.

Thomas.