As the latest wikileaks show, the royal family is deeply involved in the military-industrial complex. While Prince Andrew acts as a blunderbuss, mouthing patriotism and interfering in anticorruption investigations against BAE Systems, the queen plays a more subtle and perhaps insidious role. On 18th November she ‘launched’ construction work on the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre outside Sheffield. Described as a “factory of the future” it will house research projects by Boeing, BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, and the UK and US military. Parts for drones are already produced at the site by Casting Technology International. Sailing into the factory in a chauffeur driven Bentley, with her customary hat, grimace-like grin and silk-gloved wave, she gave the new development the royal seal of approval.
