Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Did the new royal bride get today off work

189 replies

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 16:12

Noted that Harriet Sperling was at Ascot today .... as the press keep reporting she's an NHS nurse do you think someone swapped shifts with her today. Will her roster be flexible for the new jaunts???

OP posts:
whattheysay · 17/06/2026 18:36

She probably did what the rest of the working population do and booked the day off. It’s not like royal ascot was a last minute thing it’s been in the calendar for ages

MushMonster · 17/06/2026 18:36

They are most likely still on their honeymoon!
So on annual leave.

DumpyVictoria · 17/06/2026 18:33

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 17/06/2026 16:15

I have a friend who is a nurse and every time I see them not helping sick people I post about it online. It's bad enough when they are doing housework but if they're out enjoying themself it makes my blood boil

🤣🤣🤣🤣

What about when they have medical appointments for themselves, then, instead of providing medical care for others? That really gets my goat!

Lomonald · 17/06/2026 18:32

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:20

Outrageous! All these people not at work!

Show quote history

Slackers !

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:29

Namechangeforthisdilemma1 · 17/06/2026 18:27

But as a nurse are you not ever entitled to annual leave??

Show quote history

Clearly not. It's the juxtaposition, apparently 😉!

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:29

ginasevern · 17/06/2026 18:24

Well latching onto the "nurse bit" is spin and marketing. I mean, her high society upbringing, illustrious connections and wealth haven't been mentioned at all to my knowledge, and yet they are equally the basis of who she is. If you were to read almost any article about her, you'd come away thinking that Phillips had amazingly broken the mould and married a "regular" woman in full time work.

Show quote history

Not really. The only thing I've read about her explains her privileged background and her daughter going to an expensive private school.
Mind you, I haven't read the Daily Mail or the Express, maybe that's their take on it for the clicks. Wouldn't surprise me.

Namechangeforthisdilemma1 · 17/06/2026 18:27

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:02

Not being snarky or bitchy as accused ... merely pointing out the juxtaposition and my somewhat jaded view of working in the NHS.

But as a nurse are you not ever entitled to annual leave??

ginasevern · 17/06/2026 18:24

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 17:49

The tabloids just latch on to the "nurse" bit, which is true of course.
Nobody is "marketing" her though! 😁

Show quote history

Well latching onto the "nurse bit" is spin and marketing. I mean, her high society upbringing, illustrious connections and wealth haven't been mentioned at all to my knowledge, and yet they are equally the basis of who she is. If you were to read almost any article about her, you'd come away thinking that Phillips had amazingly broken the mould and married a "regular" woman in full time work.

Huckleberries · 17/06/2026 18:23

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:56

NO !!!! being an NHS nurse and member of the royal family ... geeze it's not that difficult

Well, I am having difficulty understanding your point

can you help me out, please? Lots of royals have day jobs. It doesn't mean that between being royal and between being employed, they can never have a day out

AprilMizzel · 17/06/2026 18:22

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:56

NO !!!! being an NHS nurse and member of the royal family ... geeze it's not that difficult

She not married to a working royal - seems to have quite a privilege background and still works for NHS.

I think PM wife also works for NHS - read that at one point.

NHS is a huge employer - and it's staff are under UK and allowed annual leave and a nurse is more likely to have shift patterns - I think - allowing time to actually live a life.

Are we suppsoed to be making NHS staff slaves or banning royals - even minor non working royals - from marrying people with normal jobs?

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:20

Lomonald · 17/06/2026 18:19

There is also this Peter Phillips is not a prince he isn't a working royal, why wasn't Peter at work today?

Show quote history

Outrageous! All these people not at work!

BatchCookBabe · 17/06/2026 18:19

Bristolandlazy · 17/06/2026 18:17

What a stupid post, I'm embarrassed for you.

This. ^

I don't think the thread has gone how the OP expected it to. #Awkward! 😬

BridportMarket · 17/06/2026 18:19

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:54

NO !!!! being an NHS nurse and member of the royal family ... geeze it's not that difficult

Show quote history

Well she's only a member of the royal family in as much as she's married to Peter Phillips.

Peter Phillips who does no royal duties, takes no money from the public purse and who himself works in sports management.

Mike Tindall manages the whole having a job and being married to Zara easily enough.

Lomonald · 17/06/2026 18:19

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:00

She's royal adjacent. Peter Phillips has no title and no constitutional role. He does not act on behalf of the monarch.

Show quote history

There is also this Peter Phillips is not a prince he isn't a working royal, why wasn't Peter at work today?

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:18

Thebigonesgetaway · 17/06/2026 18:15

She was and arguably had more working days than a nurse.

I am stunned anyone could be so jealous of her, they’d take issue with her going to ascot. How unhappy wpuld you need to be.

Show quote history

Very. It's a shame, I genuinely don't know why nurses get such criticism, I couldn't do it, not for their pay and conditions.
Any nurse having a day out at Ascot thoroughly deserves it, and a handsome win on a horse as well!

bridgetreilly · 17/06/2026 18:17

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:02

Not being snarky or bitchy as accused ... merely pointing out the juxtaposition and my somewhat jaded view of working in the NHS.

What juxtaposition?

Bristolandlazy · 17/06/2026 18:17

What a stupid post, I'm embarrassed for you.

tisan · 17/06/2026 18:16

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:02

Not being snarky or bitchy as accused ... merely pointing out the juxtaposition and my somewhat jaded view of working in the NHS.

Of course your thread opener was snarky! We're not daft, just own it.

And yes, to answer your question, its safe to assume she got the day off if she was at Ascot, or she's on leave.

Thebigonesgetaway · 17/06/2026 18:15

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:12

Indeed. She was at plenty of events.

Show quote history

She was and arguably had more working days than a nurse.

I am stunned anyone could be so jealous of her, they’d take issue with her going to ascot. How unhappy wpuld you need to be.

Loub1987 · 17/06/2026 18:14

I don’t understand @EnormousGinplease, what was the point you are raising? Should she not have a day out / time off because of who she married. That wouldn’t alter her employment T&Cs.

scienceteachersarefun · 17/06/2026 18:12

Thebigonesgetaway · 17/06/2026 18:04

The Duchess of Kent was a primary school teacher. And she was titled.

I didn’t see any threads ripping into her if she wasn’t at work one day.

Show quote history

Indeed. She was at plenty of events.

Cakeandcardio · 17/06/2026 18:12

I think NHS workers are entitled to annual leave? At least I hope they are!!

StrawberriesandBrylcream · 17/06/2026 18:11

EnormousGinplease · 17/06/2026 17:56

NO !!!! being an NHS nurse and member of the royal family ... geeze it's not that difficult

This still isn't what juxtaposition means OP.

The woman is a nurse, is entitled to annual leave and has chosen to go to Ascot. Surely we all support any employed persons right to annual leave regardless of who they married or what they do for a living?

Bjorkdidit · 17/06/2026 18:05

Blueplant · 17/06/2026 17:52

Compared to most working people the NHS has very generous annual leave entitlements....

There's always lots of vacancies if you want 'very generous' annual leave too.

Plus due to 12+ hours shifts, nurses only work 13 days a month before they have to think about using all that AL.

But its not all good, a lot of the time they are at work, its nights, weekends, bank holidays.

Thebigonesgetaway · 17/06/2026 18:04

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 17/06/2026 18:02

Why on earth can’t a member of the royal family and an NHS nurse be married, @EnormousGinplease? Baffling.

Show quote history

The Duchess of Kent was a primary school teacher. And she was titled.

I didn’t see any threads ripping into her if she wasn’t at work one day.