At his meeting with Queen Elizabeth our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd turned to the Queen and said, “As I’m the Prime Minister, I’m thinking of changing how my great country is referred to, and I’m thinking that it should be a Kingdom.”

The Queen replied, “I’m sorry Mr. Rudd, but to be a Kingdom, you have to have a King in charge and you’re not a King.”

Rudd thought a while and then said: “How about a Principality then?”

To which the Queen replied, “Again, to be a Principality you have to be a Prince and you’re not a Prince, Mr. Rudd.”

Rudd thought long and hard and came up with “How about an Empire then?”

Kevin and the queen

The Queen, getting a little annoyed by now, replied, “Sorry again, Mr. Rudd, but to be an Empire you must have an Emperor in charge and you are not an Emperor.”

Before Rudd could utter another word, the Queen said, “I think you’re doing quite nicely as a country.”