Prince William to leave the armed services

[baffledmum]

I am a fan of the monarchy but this has just made me stop and think...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24065166

Hmmm – not going to a “full time royal” = part-time royal then. What's he doing with the rest of his time?

I'd be happy to give up my job to focus on royal work and charity duties if someone can tell me where to apply! Or am I just being mean and unreasonable that he can afford to?

I am being somewhat facetious. But I just find the whole thing unutterably weird. Why would you pledge your life to defend somebody solely because the happen to be born to a particular family? Why do you feel somebody should have influence over military policy due to an accident of birth?

so they are about to move into Kensington Palace with that shall be fully staffed though they were never going to have this and now he is not bothering to even pretend he is working

so much for living like a normal couple then

I'm not Prince William's biggest fan, but no-one can say he hasn't done any "real work". By saying that not only are you disrespecting and disregarding the work he has done as a Sea King Pilot, but it also implies that the other Air Sea Rescue workers don't do any 'real work' either.

William did a tour of duty in the Falkland Islands. That's not a little holiday, the Forces Personell who are in detatchement down there work damn hard!

That was more clever PR Freudian - they were no more likely to live like a normal couple than i am to fly to the moon. More clever PR.

Littlemiss I specifically meant his idle wife. Hence the clinging on comment.

Er, littlemiss, how on earth do you deduce that saying William has not done any real work is disrespectful to the other air sea rescue pilots???

It doesn't imply anything about them at all!

Sorry onesleep.

Stitching, because if you're saying one Air Sea Rescue pilot has never done any 'real work' then how are the other Air Sea Rescue pilots, who are doing exactly the same job, doing any 'real work'?

One more point and I must go and do something constructive!

My point about Prince Harry (and yes I was being a dick - again) is that he is by all accounts a fun, charming, not particularly bright kid who showed extremely poor judgement in saying he enjoyed war because it was like playing playstation. I don't see how he is deserving of blind devotion and adulation simply because he is not the son of an accounts clerk.

Now I really must go and start my day. My house looks like a warzone.

i certainly respect Air Sea Rescue workers

i do not respect what the royal family stand for and i am not foolish enough to believe that he puts in anywhere near the same hours as others or treated like normal people

totally agree StitchingMoss they have a fantastic pr team behind them

He doesn't get blind devotion Butwilliseeyou. He is treated like any other Army Officer. If he was shit he'd know it, as would his peers and superiors. The boys wouldn't let him get away with it.

What he is, is a Round peg in a round hole. The Army was exactly the right fit for him. He smashed his pilots exams and his Troop Leaders. He is great on the ground as a dismounted Recce officer and would rather be in the dirt with his boys than at a desk.

If 'they' will let him, he could be a career soldier easily.

For Andrew to become King, Charles, William, George and Harry would have to die

And thank fuck for that.

I don't have any issue with William leaving the army- as long as he does something worthwhile to benefit the most vulnerable, here in the UK.
His wife on the other hand is an embarrassment to educated women everywhere and needs a good dose of reality.

TBH I'm not so sure Kim. The RF have a good line of succession right now thatks to the long reign of the Queen, so there is every chance they will let him. If Charles doesn't abdicate his duty then their is no real reason for the 'spare' to do anything other than what he loves.

I don't know. He is progressing well and the reports I have heard have all been sound, so anything is possible.

16 years is a 'good' career for an officer (and the average served). If he progresses he could serve up until he is age 55, although that is rare. Whether he will or not, who knows, it's probably not up to him, sadly. I'd like him to do at least 12, preferably 16. He could be a major pushing Lt Col by then. An actual decision maker - now that would be interesting.

I do hope they're not reading this! Although, to be fair, they're probably used to dealing with this sort of criticism by now...

If the monarchy was democratically abolished tomorrow, I wouldn't complain. The whole concept is outdated. However, as a family, they have been born with this huge responsibility. I think it's impressive that they seem to take it so seriously.

Prince Charles has a thing about DUTY and I think he's right. Which of us would swap places with them, really? It's not like they have a choice in the matter, and all that money doesn't come without hefty strings attached. Okay, so they don't worry about paying the bills at the end of the month (like me) but they have all sorts of other pressures I can barely begin to imagine. And everything they do is watched and commented on by the likes of us.

If I had their money, their cultural clout and huge power in the worldwide media, I'd like to think I could use it as responsibly as they are. Suggestions that they volunteer in soup kitchens are just stupid - how would that benefit anybody? They are right to think about how best they can help the greatest number of people.

Which of us would honestly swap places with them? Having thought it through, I would love to have their opportunities to change the world, but still think I am happier with my sons growing up in relative poverty in a rough area.

William seems quite wet and spoiled. He has a lot of goodwill because of his mother. One day though, especially since his poor marriage choice, there will be a backlash. He could actually be the end of the monarchy.

Poor marriage choice?? Who did you want him to marry?

I don't read the Mail or Hello etc. so my perception is that he married a girl he fell in love with at university. What on earth is wrong with that?

And what on earth is wrong with her? She looks good (this is very important), she clearly loves him, she has a supportive family who can guide her through the minefield of being a total while still remaining relatively normal, she is bright, educated, has a social conscience... and if the heir to the throne had fallen in love with you, would you have had the courage and the honesty to deal with it the way she has done?

Total? I meant royal!

I agree he could be the end of the monarchy, I think the backlash will start when the Queen dies as I am sure she will not step aside

I would swap right now, green! And then help to abolish the monarchy before retiring young and rich. Mwahahahahahahaaa

Ok, clearly time for bed now..

I mean he gets blind devotion in that you pledge to defend him with your life because he is born to the royal family.