Prince Phillip stepping back in his "work"

[bupcakesandcunting]

I am so relieved for you, Phil, that you are taking a step back in your work. It must have been very tiring for you, being chauffered about in a big gold carriage, waving at the proles. I expect that sometimes you had some handshaking to do. Maybe so glass-clinking to do with foreign dignitaries. Then there were all of those racist gags to think up.

I, for one, am greatly relieved that you are stepping back from your work. I've been worrying myself sick about your for years.

P.S did you get my birthday card? You can spend the bond at Debenhams/Boots/B&Q/Robert Dyas. Enjoy it!

That rack of medals he wears was really earned.

He still does around 300 public engagements a year. Given that the typical length of a working year is 225 days, that's a lot - especially when you add in preparation and travel time. Then there's the 800 or so organisations he is associated with, plus the DofE awards with which he is is very involved. Even allowing for a staff to handle much of the routine work and correspondence, that is a huge workload.

It is really unfair that most men have been able to retire at 65 but poor ole PP has had to soldier on till he is 90. Next thing you know they will force him to live in the palace where as really he wants a bed in the workhouse

Oh I like the grumpy old bugger. He'd be an asset on grumpy old men. A role model for Victor Meldrew.

300 public engagements doesn't equate to 300 days work. He will often have three or four engagements on the same day which reduces your working days figure to under 100.

he had two engaments locally earlier this year - the helicopter landed in the park and took off from the park to travel 12 miles down the road to his next engagement.

There isn't any of this sitting in traffic or waiting for a bus

I don't know how many 90yo you know, but my 90+yo gran was usually tucked in bed at 8 and after a glass of sherry was ready for bed at 6 !!

He has been a huge support to the Queen and does his bit for charity and other organisations and can think of some much younger names if we are looking for contenders for the title of 'official oxygen thief'

bupcakesandcunting : I believe he has had many hands on involement in many charties, several hundred iirr. The organisations he has worked with tend to be rather glowing of the actual contribution he makes to the organisation itself. He was also a ww2 vetran and did do work in the forces.

The man is 90. The same age as DH's grandad. The difference their capabilties physically astound me tbh.

He also did something many man of his generation would find hard - he become second place to his wife. Not many of his generation could have done that.

I am not actually a huge fan myself, but I can see that he has done good, and a darn sight more work than the OP would suggest. Yes, he is very privledged, but that doesn't mean he hasn't done anything good over the last 90 yers.

He's done a lot more with his 80s than most have or will. TBH the stuff he has done would be my idea of a nightmare. I think he has done more than people realise. OK he has put his foot in it a lot, I would make a fool of myself even more if I had to do what he does.

My dad served with him during the war and from the stories he told he worked as hard as any other Navy person and could have had a very long career but he was forced to chose between it and the Queen.

Anyway he is not retiring just slowing down slightly.

I think he's a bit of a twat, but he's old and as others have said I'm sure there's more to his itinery than we imagine. I would be fairly worried about the welfare of any 90-year-old relative of mine if they were simply going to the shops once a week by themselves. I would certainly be horrified if they had any sort of commitment or obligation that counted as a job.

He was an incredible grandfather when Diana died, I like the man.

ivykaty44: I know. Say your 100 days is a correct guess. That's still nearly 6 months FTE on only half his occupation.

Not bad at 90! (He used to do more when younger).

100 days is nearly 6 months ?

YABU. How many of the population get up and go down the mines? Don't be silly. If you think of his work as being the same as a rep, travelling, meetings etc, to be doing anything at 90 is bloody good.

I wouldn't have their life for anything. Good luck to him.

The royals all seem to reach a ripe old age - its hard work, worry and stress that kills the rest of us in our 70's.

The rest of us live our lives worrying about losing your job, paying your mortgage/bills, getting your kids into the right school and out of the wrong crowd, waiting for your nhs appointment, living on a state pension, etc etc. The royals have exactly NONE of these pressures, and we are meant to admire this man who has never done a real days work in his life and has lived in absolute luxury on the state for 60 years?!

It may mean you don't have the usual worries but I absolutely would not want to live their lives. I admire them for living a life of duty and scrutiny. I think he has earnt his semi-retirement at 90.

Ivykaty44: yes. The FTE working year (less leave allowance and weekends) is 225 days. So 100 days is getting on for 6mths FTE. I rounded up, because I think your 100 days is on the light side (not all engagements are brief in-and-outs).

If you then pick up BeattieBow's point about how much is actually do for his organisations. Let's say he gives 1 hour per year ("bugger all") to each (read annual report, decide responses to requests, send a couple of personal letters). That's another 800 hours pa - or another 100 working days.

Throw in time for real engagement with his favoured few charities and organisations, and you are looking at something very close to a full time job for a 90 year old.

And he used to do far more when he was younger!

Nice bit on the news - HMQ has appointed him Lord High Admiral - it sounds like something out of G&S!

Paulapantsdown - He may not have to worry about those things but I'm sure he has worries and pressures that neither you nor I understand. What do you, in all your wisdom, classify as a real day's work anyway?

I wish him well. He and Queen carry out a lot of engagements every year, and how much fun do you think it is talking to people you don't know, making dreary small talk and admiring their (often worthy) projects, day in, day out?

I couldn't stand it personally.

I know it's not "work" - but I can't imagine his life has been a whole lot of endless fun either.

I have always thought that if I wanted to change jobs or re locate to another country I would have the choice, and I know that The Queen and Prince Phillip haven't had a job in the normal sense, but neither have they had the chance to swap careers, well without abdicating.
I like him, he makes me smile

It takes some stamina I would have thought to get up, go on long haul flights, walk about meeting and greeting people, sit at state dinners, and forever be busy doing something. Even if you have hundreds of staff catering to your needs, your body and mind will still get tired.

You also have absolutely no freedom. You cant just go for a wander on your own, or travel to places that YOU would like to see, and just relax.

I certainly wouldnt want to do it, and I very much doubt it is an "easy life" either.

We were down in Cornwall last week. we drove back on Saturday. I didn't do any of the driving, but we got home and I was shagged out.

The Queen was also down in Cornwall last week. She did a tour of the Scillies on Friday. On Saturday, when we got back to our home town, she was already there ahead of us, at the Derby. When does she get a chance to be shagged out? I took to my bed for most of Sunday. I bet she didn't.

I wouldn't do his job-all the perks and money are just not worth it.

Fair point, Gwendoline. And I bet when she got in, she will have had to start straight on the ironing, as well. No rest for the state-funded billionaires, is there?

Why would she? I didn't.

Envy is a terrible thing. And you don't even know what it is you're envious of...

You've missed the point