To think prince Charles isn't that bad

[Julia2016]

The princes trust does good work. Yes he didn't treat Diana well but she also manipulated the media and they were an odd match from the start.

Take the other night, why did Charles not meet Obama? Or was this William picking a job he liked doing?? It looks to me like Charles is being sidelined, perhaps there are plans to bypass him in the line of succession. Or maybe the media are not bothered about him.

I kinda like him.. 😌

[RobinsAreTerritorialFuckers]

I apologise, it was wrong of me anyway. Nothing remotely funny about Saville, and I didn't mean to imply so, at all.

[FellOutOfBedTwice]

He's clearly a bit of a knob, but the posters previously who state that you can't support a heir based system of rule and then say he can't be King. Defeats the point. I would happily see the monarchy abolished tomorrow and have no affection for them at all really, but he seems like an alright fella and he may as well be King as anyone else who was born into his role.

As for if he's nice, well he's probably a bit nice and a bit indulged (who wouldn't be, in his position) and a bit funny and a bit of a prick and a bit of lots of things... Like most of him. I think he suffered badly in the Diana business and don't think either of them were innocent in any of what happened but if we are going to blame anyone for all of that, surely it should be the Queen and the barking mad system she was upholding that meant he had little choice but to marry someone he didn't really love?

[FellOutOfBedTwice]

Like most of us I meant.

[HarlotBronte]

YABU purely because, as others have pointed out, he can't stfu. But shutting the fuck up is a rather important part of the role of a constitutional monarch. One of the many reasons his mother is widely considered to have done a competent job, that recent Guardian article notwithstanding, is because she doesn't do much shooting her mouth off. Notice that William doesn't either. Smart cookie, that one, or smarter than his father at least. Charles may or may not be a nice person, clever, badly done to, no worse than Diana, whatever. He's even been right about some, certainly not all of the things he's come out with. But all of these things are outweighed by his failure to keep schtum.

[HarlotBronte]

Also, what was so awful and politically toxic about Edward Windsor? I know he was a Nazi sympathiser but was that known about in 1936?

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

interesting article

[Sunshowercap]

There is someone out there, who got the grades, but didn't get a place because it was required he should have it

Exactly.

If he really wanted to be so influential, he should have resigned his inheritance and become a private person. But I doubt he'd hack it.

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

hmm

Saville was really close to the royals.

[BillSykesDog]

He got a B and a C. My mother (working class, northern) was the same age as him and got better grades but went to a far inferior university because in 1969 when applying for university class and sex counted for a lot. She still resents him for that. I imagine that he wasn't the only toff let in with mediocre grades in those days though. I think at that point they still had their own entrance exams rather than using A'Level grades, which public schools coached their students for which kept out the state school riff raft.

[BillSykesDog]

*raff

[Falling270]

Lots of bitter people on this thread.

[HarlotBronte]

And at least one dimwit serf.

[Falling270]

Sorry posted too soon.

Charles didn't choose to be a member of the royal family, none of them did. But can all of you day if you were born into that privilege and all your family around you were doing the same thing you think you would choose to reject it and live as a normal person? Can you also say he doesn't do anything good for the country? (Prince's Trust.) Also bear in mind royals live with their every action being scrutinised and criticised. I'm sure we have all done things we regret or exhibited purely human behaviour at some point. It seems to me the monarchy is more popular than ever with William, Kate and their children now. The worldwide interest they generate is considered extremely good for the reputation of the U.K. It's not like we are going to become a republic any time soon and would you really want David Cameron or Jeremy Corbyn as our head of state as an alternative?

[Falling270]

HarlotBronte

[HarlotBronte]

The worldwide interest they generate is considered extremely good for the reputation of the U.K.

By who?

[HarlotBronte]

I hope that's a Duchy Original biscuit.

[MysticMugBug]

witty, worra

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

Falling, he did choose his friends though.

[Falling270]

Would you prefer the UK to become a republic?

[southeastastra]

i really like charles, he seems normal, in the doc this week he was quite witty and quick and the queen was very serious and cut him off a bit.

i think he'd be quite a fun king, more fun than william. i'd quite enjoy king charles i think.

haven't read any of the thread

[LarryStylison]

Bitter? Oh yes, I wish my best mate was a paedophille/rapist! Oh, how I envy him!

[Falling270]

HarlotBronte

It's generally considered good by economists for drawing a lot of international tourism to the country.

[LumpySpacedPrincess]

Maybe you should read the thread south.

[Sunshowercap]

I know - as most people won't want a republic - and one of the points people give in favour of royalty is exactly that it's an accident of birth - let's make it truly random and non-political.

A lottery.

Every adult (bar those in prison) on the Electoral Roll gets the chance to have their name drawn out of a hat once every 5 years. 5 years is a good period of time to do what is apparently such a high stress job - a year to learn the ropes, and then you're sailing. But 5 years is not long enough to become corrupt or indulge in nepotism & cronyism. Because at the end of 5 years yo'd go back to being a fellow citizen.

[eaglesreach]

would you really want David Cameron or Jeremy Corbyn as our head of state as an alternative?
Any alternative is better than having an unelected head of state whose only qualification was to be born. Apart from that, with a president you get to vote them out.

There's no proof that the royal family help to bring in tourists. Just as in France, the tourists would still come.