To think the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge need to work on their PR strategy?

[SamanthaBrique]

In recent months they've been accused of being work shy and what's their solution? To release photos of them and the children on a luxury skiing break! Now I don't begrudge them a holiday, but why make it so public? If they wanted to release photos of the kids then they could've just released a few shots of George and Charlotte at Kensington Palace or Anmer Hall. I don't know who is advising them on their PR but AIBU to think they need to engage someone a bit more in touch with public sentiment?

"Diana did far better than these two"

Only once her DC were rather older though, if by 'better' you mean number of engagements.

If you mean 'in dealings with the press' I think the nature of her death contradicts that, and I can see why PW wouldn't want to go down that route at all.

I don't think comparing a 30-something new father with a full-time job

He doesn't have a full time job!

Do you think perhaps they lose their trillions of pounds of state benefits if they work more than 16 hours per week?

I'd be interested to see the comparison at different ages and stages up to PW's current age spare, yes.

Vertigo - perhaps he is putting something else before his own wishes and desires? Family pressure? Respect for the institution he is proud of? The wishes of his father and grandparents? A belief that despite the fact he would quite like to have none of the hassle that goes with being a royal, hat is what he is born into, it is his path and he will walk it as countless have done before him?

I applaud him from trying to control press intrusion into his life and that of his family. The 'celeb' press are generally out of control.

They also make various appearances and visits that are not publicised or that are done more 'on the quiet'.

They cannot win. Such is their life.

I meant to say the institution he is 'part of' not 'proud of', whoops.

I strongly get the impression that both princes WOULD prefer to remove themselves completely from public life.

William scooted off to Anglesea when he got married, and by all accounts they were very happy living there. Then there was a lot of pushing and shoving when he suddenly announced that he was becoming a full time Royal, followed by another announcement that actually no, he was carrying on with his piloting duties, which strongly implies that he was unwillingly pressured into quitting the Search & Rescue in order to go full time royal, but then pushed back and said no, taking up employment again.

Similarly, Harry, who by all accounts is not possessed of a towering intellect, seemed blissfully happy in the army and out and about doing things that involve getting dirty and getting on with people, and now what? He is doing a desk job, organising events and security for the Queen? Whose bright idea was that? Because it certainly wasn't his, and he must be loathing it.

If Charles was hit on the head and announced he wasn't going to be king, I think that William and Harry would skip happily off into wealthy obscurity/the RAF/the Army and never be seen again.

It wouldn't matter how much they did. People would still point out how many aides and nannies they have, and claim that it is all for show.

As for William being in charge of abdicating. I think that is rather naive. He has been brought up as the future king. The responsibility and weight of duty that he has been conditioned into is not something that can just be shaken off.

It wouldn't matter how much they did. People would still point out how many aides and nannies they have, and claim that it is all for show.

Of course they'll never please everyone and they'll never get 100% approval but they could achieve a much, much better PR result than currently. (And without compromising on all their life choices.) IF they would listen to advice.

Maybe William should join the "Stately homes" threads?

Their PR isn't great. That we agree on. But it isn't like they can just employ their own. I would suspect that the way things are done is the way things are done. It is probably quite stifling and they are trying to do the best they can in a dated system.

William does approximately 2/3 of the flying hours that his colleagues do in the Air Ambulance service. This is because he has other royal duties. I think the problem has arisen because so far this year, he is not doing them. I think 2 engagements so far. He did not even go to ceremonies for things he supports. New Dads usually have to get back to work. William is very part time and with all their help one would imagine they could do more if they wanted to. They clearly do not want to.

All the stuff about his upbringing is a red herring. Diana openly courted the press when she felt it would help her. The fact that the Palace was so slow in negotiating when pictures could be taken was a major problem during William's upbringing. He undoubtedly suffered because others did not understand how to strike deals with the press. He clearly has managed to go on a skiing holiday without the paparazzi all around, so the deals in place now appear to be working pretty well.

I think all families deserve time together but William has a hell of a lot of time with his family. Beatrice and Eugenie have one long holiday and people see William could be doing the same if he is not careful. The state has just increased the amount of money given to the Royal family. Obviously people want value for money from the younger Royals for their support. They do want to actually see them occasionally!

"But we presented you with a stately home"?

As for William being in charge of abdicating. I think that is rather naive. He has been brought up as the future king. The responsibility and weight of duty that he has been conditioned into is not something that can just be shaken off.

He is undoubtedly under a huge weight of history and expectation and I expect the family expectation is what he feels most keenly.

But if he did seriously want out, he could do it without bringing the whole monarchy down, I think. He'd probably be wise to do it early in his father's reign, rather than wait for a situation in which he has to abdicate. His father's reign is highly unlikely to be more than 20-something years long, so it would be a delicate manouevre. (And again great PR would be key.)

Their PR isn't great. That we agree on. But it isn't like they can just employ their own.

Actually they can. Various members of the RF have done just that.

"But we presented you with a stately home"?

Fear, obligation and guilt in action and it's not just pressure from within the family.

Even if he did find the strength to go against the grain and remove himself, wouldn't that place Harry in the position? He seems very protective of his younger brother, and I am not sure Harry is king material. I can't see William stepping down. I just cannot see it. I think it would be an impossible thing. Even with good PR.

I'd be interested to see the comparison at different ages and stages up to PW's current age spare, yes.

I'm not doing an in-depth study on this, because a) I have an job, and b) I'm not as emotionally invested in this as you, but a quick google says she did 84 engagements in 1982, when she had 2 young children

This is Princess Di's complete list of engagements for 1985, when she had 2 young children:
February, 26 : Visit to the Malcom Sargent Fund for Children with Cancer
April, 19 to April 30 : Visit to Italy
May, 01 to May 09 : Visit to Italy
May, 12 : Polo Match
May, 30 : Polo Match
June, 16 : Polo Match
June, 18 : Polo Match
June, 20 : Polo Match
June, 27 : Visit to Warwickshire
June, 29 : Polo Match
June, 30 : Polo Match
July, 21 : Polo Match
July, 28 : Polo Match
October, 27 - October 30 : Australian Visit, to Victoria and Canberra
October : Visit to the Royal Hampshire Regiment
October : Visit to Substance Abuse Center in Cardiff
November, 01 - November, 08 : Australian Visit
November, 08 : short visit to Fiji
November, 09 - November, 13 : visit to Washington and Palm Beach

According to the Court Circular website, Prince William has done 79 engagements in the last 12 months.

So a grand total of 5 fewer than your beacon of Royal dutifulness, Princess Anne...

I don't know. Harry strikes me as a young Henry VIII type. Hmm.

I'm not doing an in-depth study on this, because a) I have an job, and b) I'm not as emotionally invested in this as you,

Ha

Yep, I'm unemployed and totes emosh about the RF's PR problems. That's me

Various members of the RF have much more freedom than these too in many ways.

This family of four are the Royals prized possession at the minute. They are young, good looking and in love. The babies have draw. I don't think senior royals would be letting anyone in as PR. I think the seniors have a very tight grasp.

Was Henry VIII a good king?

bojorojo

Those numbers are wrong. According to the press reports from the last few weeks (which I've read in the last few minutes), the legal maximum flying hours is 90 per month. William is currently doing 80 per month, which is 90% of what is allowed, not 66%

And he has done 4 official engagements, while Kate has done 14

Two. Not too.

I'm not sure the senior royals' could stop PW from hiring or firing who he fancied TBH Liz (I might be wrong but that's my impression). I think he really guards his own turf.

But you're right; the photogenic young family thing has ramped up the interest and pressure and now they need to make an ancient institution work for a iphone age whilst PW himself is reluctant. It's quite the conundrum.

I'm really interested in how this will play out over the next 20 years.