To think that Prince Charles should not be promoted to the 3 highest ranks in the services

[enimmead]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18468118

So he is now Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the RAF

Because Mummy made him them as a treat.

What is the point? Why should he have them? I know it's only ceremonial and he is not really these ranks but it's all so bloody anacronistic. Doesn't it belittle all those "real" people in the military?

Is that the official line? Mummy decided to give him a treat?

Or did you make it up?

You're quite right, Anyone. I'm sure Prince Charles was promoted entirely on his own merits, against stiff competition.

Apparently he's been nice to mummy (supporting the Queen)

so she's saying thankyou.

I suppose so. That said though, everyone knows that Charlie boy has not attained those ranks via years of training/ toil so I can't see why anyone would feel insulted really. It's purely ceremonial as you point out. It wouldn't 'do' to have him as 'just' an officer or something would it?

I suppose we need someone from the military to say whether they value the royal interest and patronage really. I suspect they do.

TBH I want a much bigger treat for spending my whole life as an apprentice!

*I would want

The Queen has had dozens of military titles herself.. cant see that it really matters.

Can't see the problem - they are Her Majesty's Armed Forces and they will be His Majesty's when he is king

Also failing to see the problem. I'm sure it's largely if not wholly ceremonial - everyone involved will understand that. Also OP - it affects your life not one jot so go find some real injustice to rail against ffs. This is just boring.

I thought that the armed forces served the monarch (for queen and country, etc) so it seems appropriate to me that he hold these ceremonial posts. Isn't Anne the equivalent to the WRNS, and has been for some time?

What would be your preferred non-anachronistic alternative, enimmead?

I'm watching the Trooping the Colour. It's fantastic to see the Duke of Edinburgh back by HMQ's side, and also enjoyed seeing Prince Charles, the Duke of Cambridge and the Princess Royal (and I think some others, anyone know?) following the Queen's carriage on horseback, all in full uniform. Can't be easy to ride in front of a crowd in a busby!

It did rather remind me of the many years that HMQ took the salute on Burmese. I hope that the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square is one day filled with an equastrial statue of those two.

WhereYouLeftIt: after seeing your post, I googled for the Princess Royal's naval rank: she is both Vice Admiral and Chief Commandant for women of the Royal Navy and Commodore-in-Chief of HMNB Portsmouth. She also holds two Airforce ranks and ten British ones (plus various ones for other nation's Forces), and is, amongst loads of other appointments, a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Which I suppose brings us back to OP: there are lots of honorary appointments and degrees, not just for Royals. As long as no one is misled (would you ask Princess Anne to diagnose your sick parrot?), then I cannot see that any one particular example should attract particular approval or opprobrium.

Aren't tge the queens forces? Isn't it technically always done in her name?

I know it's all ceremonial and does not mean anything. Just like all those other titles the Queen hands out to her children and grandchildren.

He also has a lot of medals as well. 31 apparently.

How do you feel about honorary degrees? Surely they're given out as a pat on the back not always after years of sweat and toil?

Honorary degrees are always called honorary degrees, though, and are given to award merit. My institution gave Nelson Mandela an honorary degree a few years back, and I don't think anyone would think it was (a) undeserved or (b) that he had in fact slogged through a bunch of exams and continuous assessment to get it!

Whereas as far as I know there's nothing in Charles' new rank titles to say 'Guys, these are makey-uppy, OK?', and surely no one could claim they were awarded for merit...?

YABU since the military take their oath to the HM the Queen not to the government and HRH Prince Charles will be taking over the lead more and more from HM in her twilight years. Most of the medals are for length of service commemorative medals etc. etc. from the commonwealth nations too.

The main thing that says they are honorary is the announcement back in 1995 that they would no longer be conferred in service.

I am anti royal. And it's just one more example of the sheer ridiculousness of the whole thing.

And this affects you, how?

I agree OP.

It just seems such a farce and completely undeserved. I mean he already gets to be HRH and all that that entails, does he really need to be a commander of the fleet [or whatever the hell the title was].

I think a position of authority, education and experience should be conferred on those who have put in the time, hard work and have the aptitude for the role having risen up the ranks so to speak.

I am also against honorary degrees. I mean really, what is the point? You have either done the hard work and achieved a degree in a subject or you haven't. What is the point of a pretend degree? How does this somehow stand for recognition of the merit of someone like Nelson Mandela?
Surely he doesn't need a fake degree to have merit attributed to him?

I also hate when celebrities are made Sir and Dame. Why? They have enjoyed the fruits of their chosen career, they have made money out of singing popular music or acting onstage or whatever. Why are they given this honorary title? Imo if anyone should be made a Sir or Dame it should be someone who has selflessly worked for the betterment of society and has not been "rewarded" already through fame or money. Hence why do we not have Dame Camila Batmanghelidjh instead of Sir bloody Paul [should have been put out to pasture years ago] MacCartney.

my wonder about this is whether he gets paid for the ceremonial position/s IYSWIM

anyone know?

If this had been the head of a West African dictatorship or a South American junta handing out medals and honorary titles to themselves and poncing around in uniforms they haven't earned the right to wear, it would be seen as absurd and further evidence that they were figures of ridicule and out of touch with reality, but hey when the Windsors do it, it is apparently okay.

The Royals don't get paid for these positions.

The Royals don't get paid for these positions

I am aware of this it is the absurdity of them giving themselves honours and awards and then getting done up in military fancy dress dripping in gongs and gold braid I object to. As I said in a previous post it is more fitting for a South American dictatorship.