Aibu wondering where Charlie got those medals from?

[punter]

The VE memories today were great British tradition and remembrance rolled into one. But how did our future king achieve that row of medals? Don't remember him being in any conflict or active service.

[AuntieStella]

They're orders, mainly, not medals.

Though there were probably the Jubilee medals in there somewhere.

[LarrytheCucumber]

Mummy?

[TidyDancer]

It makes me uncomfortable too.

[Viviennemary]

Some from Mummy. Don't know why though. He's hardly been what you'd call a good boy. And maybe some from his local pawn shop.

[Micah]

He served on the Royal Navy for 5 years.

The medals are mostly commemorative, as far as I know, though.

[ClaudiaNaughton]

Often wondered about his "medals". Who was standing behind him with David Cameron?

[ShatnersBassoon]

Sports day and Jim'll Fix It.

[Stopandlook]

Oh it drives me mad, I'd be ashamed to stand next to those who risked their lives if I were him or his Dad. But the whole idea of 'royalty' is laughable isn't it.

[SoupDragon]

Let me google that for you...

[SoupDragon]

I'd be ashamed to stand next to those who risked their lives if I were him or his Dad

Prince Philip served with the Pacific & Mediterranean fleets during WW2.

[ComposHatComesBack]

Exactly. Tinpot medals and uniforms he hasn't earned the right to wear. If we heard about a country where the unelected head of state showered decorations and senior military titles on their children and they strutted around in all this gold braid and gongs we'd condemn it as the hubristic excess of a mad despot.

[knackered69]

Compos - hubristic excess - what a fantastic turn of phrase!

[Mrsmorton]

claudia did the guy behind him have a feathery hat on? If so that's Maj Gen Smythe-Osbourne.

[exLtEveDallasNoBollocks]

I have 7 medals. My DH has 10.

Of mine, 3 are 'tinpot' medals
Of DH's, 4 are 'tinpot' medals

Thanks for that.

And most serving soldiers are quite happy to stand next to 'him or his dad'. They are our Commanders in Chief, the Colonels of the Regiment, the people we swore an oath to defend. Or would you rather your Armed Forces were hypocrites?

[SoldierBear]

Get your facts straight. Prince Philip served throughout WWII.

[QuintShhhhhh]

Or to make it easier, HoneyDragon googled, I copied and pasted for you:

1: Order of Merit, civil version
2: GCB
3: Queen's Service Order (New Zealand)
4: Queen's Coronation medal
5: Queen's Silver Jubilee medal
6: Queen's Golden Jubilee medal
7: Canadian forces decoration
8: NZ commemorative medal
9: Knight of Most Noble Order of the Garter


What is a "tin pot" medal?

[ComposHatComesBack]

I don't think anyone would have a problem with Prince Philip wearing the medals he earned via his actual naval service, it is his offspring getting handed medal after medal and military uniforms they've not earned the right to wear. Prince Edward being the most conspicuous example.

[grovel]

If you accept that being, say, Colonel in Chief of a regiment is a military role then you will receive the standard medals which are given over a long period of service. Fine by me.

[butterflyballs]

Dp has one medal. For serving in the Falklands conflict. A bomb blew up in the compartment next to his on the ship and he nearly died. He managed to get off the ship and into a lifeboat but the lifeboat sunk and he had to climb back onto the sinking ship before being lifted off by a helicopter with all his burnt skin hanging off his back and arms.

He's got a great photo of him in hospital, Prince Charles sat on his bed talking to him. Dp said he's a nice bloke.

[SoupDragon]

If we heard about a country where the unelected head of state showered decorations and senior military titles on their children and they strutted around in all this gold braid and gongs we'd condemn it as the hubristic excess of a mad despot.

If we heard about an unelected someone who told people how they think and what they do we'd probably condemn them as a mad despot.

[SoupDragon]

HoneyDragon googled

No she didn't

[DragonWithAGirlTattoo]

QuintShhhhhh & SoupDragon
Just in case, you are aware that people post 'questions' here in order to start a discussion - quips in the style of "google is your friend" etc are really not helpful

[DragonWithAGirlTattoo]

oops missed the ? on the end of that last post

[QuintShhhhhh]

How could I mistake honey for soup???

[SoupDragon]

DragonWithAGirlTattoo Riiiight, so posting a link that contained the information the OP wanted was the wrong thing to do? OK. Whatever you say