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Original poster

DD 22 has never heard of Prince Edward

298 replies

livingontheheart · 30/01/2022 20:59

As the title says pretty much, showed her a picture of him and she said she has never heard of him in her life. I think it shows the generational difference as most people my age would know who he is I think.

OP posts:
Buwch · 31/01/2022 16:52

I know this is an anonymous forum, but the mind-boggling ignorance people are willing to admit to on here is incredible.

Fair enough, I suppose, not having heard of Prince Edward, if you’re young. But being in your 30s and not having heard of Prince Phillip is surely impossible for any sentient adult who engages with the world outside their own orbit.

It’s not about whether it’s important or critical to know who he is. It’s just about the steadfast determination not to engage with the outside world that would make even possible never to have heard of him, that amazes me.
First off - I’m sure most adults have at least one knowledge gap that would be shocking to most. Phillip is mine.

Secondly, I’ve simply never held an interest in the Royal Family. Obviously their role is almost entirely ceremonial; well I’ve never been interested in the ceremony.

I could have named at least half of every cabinet during my adulthood, because politics is interesting and relevant to me. The Royal Family, not so much.

Buwch · 31/01/2022 16:55

Did your think he was just some guy who kept following her around?
No - because I didn’t watch it pay attention to coverage of the Queen. I never consciously saw him ‘following her around’.

LadyEloise1 · 31/01/2022 16:57

@PriamFarrl
I love your post of 13.46 re the Royal Family and the Kardashians. Smile

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

The royal family
HangoverSquare · 31/01/2022 16:59

It's not even about having an interest in the royals though. 'What is the name of Queen Elizabeth II's husband?' is just the most basic of UK general knowledge.

HasaDigaEebowai · 31/01/2022 17:05

I had a conversation with ds2 yesterday about prince william. He didn’t know who he was. Ds2 is 14 and has actually met prince William Confused.

He knew who Kate was. Confused Confused

ninnynonny · 31/01/2022 17:06

@FuzzyPuffling

I danced with him once.
Early 80s?
Buwch · 31/01/2022 17:13

It's not even about having an interest in the royals though. 'What is the name of Queen Elizabeth II's husband?' is just the most basic of UK general knowledge.
I’m happy to accept it’s basic general knowledge, but even with basic general knowledge, there’ll always be a small percentage that don’t know it. In my case, I didn’t know it because it wasn’t exactly on the school curriculum, and I’ve generally avoided reading or hearing about the Queen. Admittedly I still ultimately picked up on Charles, William and Harry’s existence, but that’s roughly where it ended.

Maireas · 31/01/2022 17:22

Not on the school curriculum?
Schools can't cover everything.
Going to school isn't to give you complete knowledge, but the skills to aquire and process it independently

Buwch · 31/01/2022 17:28

Let me try another way...

Let’s say there was a quiz - 100 Basic General Knowledge Questions about the UK.

My guess is, even if the questions were widely viewed as incredibly easy, not everyone (including well educated people) would get every single one of them right. Most people have a gap here or there in their general knowledge, even the ‘basic’ stuff.

RussiasGreatestLoveMachine · 31/01/2022 17:30

I didn’t know it because it wasn’t exactly on the school curriculum

Give it up with ‘it’s not on the school curriculum’. No, it’s not - it’s not on it for anyone and everyone else has heard of him!

I’m on the other side of the world with it not on our curriculum either. I just don’t go around with my head in a paper bag all day.

Buwch · 31/01/2022 17:31

Schools can't cover everything.
Going to school isn't to give you complete knowledge, but the skills to aquire and process it independently
Right, and as someone with no interest in the royal family, who avoided coverage about them, I gained less knowledge on the topic than most.

That isn’t to say I haven’t acquired plenty of other knowledge (much of it probably more important and relevant than the identity of the Queen’s husband).

Maireas · 31/01/2022 17:34

As long as you're not blaming your teachers......

Buwch · 31/01/2022 17:36

I’m not. Honestly I don’t even consider the composition of the current royal family to be a particularly important or interesting topic. If I felt otherwise, I may have inquired.

TheSnowyOwl · 31/01/2022 17:36

I think it’s because Edward is getting ever lower down the line of succession so far less relevant to younger people. Older people will remember when he was third in line to the throne. Most younger people will be aware who Harry is because they grew up with him being the same position as Edward was.

Maireas · 31/01/2022 17:41

Yes, Harry is definitely the new Edward.

GameofPhones · 31/01/2022 17:53

I have known people who deliberately avoid news because they find it so depressing.

Wafflesnsniffles · 31/01/2022 17:53

Have you spoken to your dd about him op? If not why would she know about him?

My kiddos know about the royal family (and allsorts of other things!) because Ive spoken about them. Conversation at the dinner table mostly. There are lots of things I wouldnt imagine get taught at school/college etc so I make a point of talking to my kids about them.

Maireas · 31/01/2022 17:55

@Wafflesnsniffles

Have you spoken to your dd about him op? If not why would she know about him?

My kiddos know about the royal family (and allsorts of other things!) because Ive spoken about them. Conversation at the dinner table mostly. There are lots of things I wouldnt imagine get taught at school/college etc so I make a point of talking to my kids about them.

That's good parenting.
Buwch · 31/01/2022 17:56

I have known people who deliberately avoid news because they find it so depressing.
That doesn’t actually describe me. I read the UK, US and Canadian news daily...just skipping over stories about the Royal Family, for the most part.

Buwch · 31/01/2022 18:02

That's good parenting.
While my parents may not have discussed the Royal Family around the dinner table, they encouraged plenty of other academic interests.

I was a member of the local university’s astronomy society from around the age of 8 or 9. You’ll probably all be appalled to know that Patrick Moore once described me as ‘exceptionally intelligent’.

GameofPhones · 31/01/2022 18:02

I realise I have become like the judge who got notoriety for asking 'Who are the Beatles?' I had barely heard of Meatloaf until he hit the news recently (by dying),

eddiemairswife · 31/01/2022 18:15

There seem to be some people around who are proud of their lack of general knowledge, and who blame their ignorance on lack of inclusion in the school curriculum.

Maireas · 31/01/2022 18:16

@Buwch

That's good parenting. While my parents may not have discussed the Royal Family around the dinner table, they encouraged plenty of other academic interests.

I was a member of the local university’s astronomy society from around the age of 8 or 9. You’ll probably all be appalled to know that Patrick Moore once described me as ‘exceptionally intelligent’.

They demonstrated good parenting as well. Why would anyone be appalled by a positive remark?
ninnynonny · 31/01/2022 18:29

Slightly OT but I found out yesterday that my 34 year old next door neighbour, who is not stupid by any means, had never heard about the Holocaust. She only realised it happened because she watched The Boy in the striped pyjamas. That I find really shocking

Tosement · 31/01/2022 18:32

I could have named at least half of every cabinet during my adulthood, because politics is interesting and relevant to me. The Royal Family, not so much.

You’re so interested in politics you could name half of the cabinet, but you don’t watch the Opening of Parliament?