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Original poster

To think, "Well said Prince Charles!"

306 replies

FrancesNiadova · 21/05/2014 09:40

I agree with the news commentators who say he shouldn't be writing to cabinet ministers, trying to influence policy. However, Putin, invading countries & handing out Russian passports, is behaving like a land-grabbing dictator.
Prince Charles is not the King, yet, so he is maximising his opportunity to say, well, what we're all thinking, basically.
I remember the controversy of the State Visit of the Chinese President. Instead of joining the formal greeting party & banquet, he booked himself to attend a much more minor event in Cornwall, to show his disgust for human rights abuses. The snub was not missed by the Chinese & the media.
Is it unreasonable to be pleased that he speaks out & a bit Confused by the bad press he's getting for it!

OP posts:
NessieMcFessie · 21/05/2014 20:56

Joylin - what happened in Crimea was nothing like your description. To suggest anything else is....absurd.

dawndonnaagain · 21/05/2014 20:57

He is speaking as an unelected representative of a country. He has no right to do so, whether or not he is in agreement with the elected representatives.
Mind you I'm a republican.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 21/05/2014 21:00

According to many reports, his conversation wasn't even remotely "private" but was carried on with a lady who'd been showing him round, in a public place and with the press surrounding them

No doubt he thinks he's been terribly clever getting his views across in this way - and no doubt he'll go into a self-pitying sulk if he's criticized for it in any way

ExitPursuedByABear · 21/05/2014 21:01
CalamitouslyWrong · 21/05/2014 21:08

Thing is, the whole head of state in waiting thing means that he never really speaks for himself (and certainly won't once he's king). The head of state speaks for the state (and not just ours either).

It's not at all like you or I expressing our opinion on Putin or China or whatever, because we do only speak for ourselves. If Charles wants to express his own position he needs to give up the whole being king in the future thing. Then he can wax lyrical about whatever he bloody likes and write as many letters to his MP (or government ministers) as he wants to.

CorporateRockWhore · 21/05/2014 21:18

Is Putin trying to exterminate an entire people?

I think what Prince Charles said is basically the kind of thing thick people say...oh isn't he evil? Just like that Hitler.

No, not really. Hmm

ExitPursuedByABear · 21/05/2014 21:21

Of course not. I imagine he was thinking what many people are about Russia's actions in respect of Crimea.

ExitPursuedByABear · 21/05/2014 21:21

Or am I being thick?

KnittingRocks · 21/05/2014 21:25

So Prince Charles good mates, the royal family in Saudi, are lovely people are they?

Talk about picking and choosing.

Our royal family were great mates with Hitler and pals - maybe it was Charles way of making a back handed compliment? Wink

UncleT · 21/05/2014 21:26

Actually Nessie it really is. A part of the world I know very well indeed and have intimate connections with - the Crimean situation is nothing like the one-sided, embarrassingly facile interpretation peddled in the western media. Legally of course it's beyond dubious and totally wrong, so that part we've got right - but the Hitler comparison is ridiculously superficial and wildly inappropriate.

tasteslikechicken · 21/05/2014 21:26

I think he would well to look back not so far into the history of the british empire to see what his family done when they fancied a bit of what another country had in terms of natural resources. Putin isn't right, but I think he may have learned a thing or two from us in terms of acquiring the wealth of others!

ExitPursuedByABear · 21/05/2014 21:29

I agree. The whole thing is a mess.

lowcarbforthewin · 21/05/2014 21:35

I think it serves to do nothing but inflame the situation and rile Putin, which is not what's best for the Ukraine or wider world right now. It was very irresponsible of him. It's not his life at stake if things are fuelled over there.

ExitPursuedByABear · 21/05/2014 21:36

Yeah. Charlie causes WWIII

Caitlin17 · 21/05/2014 21:52

KnittingRocks To be fair to the Royal Family only that idiot Edward VIII and that awful Simpson woman were friends of Hitler.

AElfgifu · 22/05/2014 00:04

I don't really care what Prince Charles has or hasn't said, but I think it is outrageous for the media to suggest he shouldn't be entitled to express an opinion.

How can a country committed to free speech make a completely different set of standards up for royals, who after all, are first and foremost just people like us.

Poor guy didn't ask to be born heir to the throne.

Jinsei · 22/05/2014 00:21

I think he should be entitled to express his opinions in private. That means, he can say what he thinks to his friends and family behind closed doors.

What he says in public places, within earshot of reporters, and when representing our country overseas is an entirely different matter. He was not speaking as a private individual. He should have known better.

Jinsei · 22/05/2014 00:24

Oh, and if Charles wishes to be able to exercise his right to free speech wherever he goes, he is entirely at liberty to opt out of the privileged position in which he currently finds himself. If he renounces his claim to the throne, he can say whatever the hell he likes!

AElfgifu · 22/05/2014 05:43

I don't think Prince Charles is at liberty to opt out of his position. I think he is atotal prisoner

KnittingRocks · 22/05/2014 08:21

Aelgifu, if they're just people like us they shouldn't be treated with such deference and handed such wealth - they can't have it both ways.

AElfgifu · 22/05/2014 09:44

They can't have it any way, really.

Come on, how would you like to have been born with your future career already decided, have to wait until you were past retirement age to start, live every day knowing you are one of the world's most prominent terrorist targets, have every detail of your private life analysed and discussed, be hated on principle by people who have never even met you, have details of your appearance criticised publicly on a daily basis, get followed everywhere by people with cameras.....

personally I wouldn't swap the opportunity to wander down to the chip shop with my kids as and when I feel like it, for 10 times their monetary value.

ComposHat · 22/05/2014 10:17

No he isn't trapped, he perfectly at liberty to say 'nah this isn't for me' and give up any claim to the throne and spout his batshit crazy views all over the shop. However this would involve giving up the power, the trappings and the flunkies.

Funny how he's decided that he doesn't fancy giving it up.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 22/05/2014 11:25

He's perfectly at liberty to say 'nah this isn't for me' and give up any claim to the throne and spout his batshit crazy views all over the shop. However this would involve giving up the power, the trappings and the flunkies

Spot on once again - and there's hardly any need for anyone to feel sorry for him as he does that perfectly well for himself Hmm

Nobody's denying him a view in a purely private capacity, but it's inappropriate for him to spout his half-baked opinions when actually representing us - unless he wants to stand for election of course, and he clearly won't do that as it would involve taking responsibility (not something he makes a habit of)

ItIsAnIdeasGame · 22/05/2014 11:31

I like him. I agree with what he said. David aaronovitch ' column today in The Times demonstrated the parallels in Putin's speech with Hitler's.

I do not want to go to war and HOPE The Ukraine crisis gets solved peacefully .

Puzzledandpissedoff · 22/05/2014 12:57

Apparently he's due to meet Putin at the D Day thing in Normandy next month, which should be interesting Grin Given the rather unique way the Russians dealt with their last royal family, let's hope he's not quite as firm with Charles ...