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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

The Duke of York wants his daughters to be full time Royals?

918 replies

MidnightVelvetthe7th · 23/10/2016 14:45

www.express.co.uk/news/royal/724136/prince-andrew-requests-princesses-beatrice-eugenie-kensington-prince-charles-queen-william

This is a Sunday Express link, not a Fail one.

So Andrew wants both of his daughters to have full time royal roles funded by the public & have larger apartments at Kensington Palace. Given that the only time I ever see them in the news is for dreadful outfits & holidays, to me they are embarrassing & a bit cringy.

Andrew is complaining that they are overshadowed by William, Catherine & Harry. But if you believe & support a system of privilege by birth such as the monarchy, then it stands to reason that the direct heirs are more important than the rest.

Does Andrew have a point & IABU?!

OP posts:
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15
iwanttobemissmarple · 30/10/2016 10:51

For someone who has severe dyslexia I think a 2:1 is good whatever your advantages in life you have had.

There's a lot of bitchiness on this thread.

raisedbyguineapigs · 30/10/2016 10:59

It doesn't matter how many degrees they have. They had the best education money can buy and have wanted for nothing when it came to housing and money. If we have to have a Royal Family, their experience and what they can bring to the country is what matters. They need to be able to make small talk with Heads of State who are there largely on merit. What I get annoyed about is that the Royal Press are so Incredibly toadyish in their coverage. It is exactly like a watered down North Korea, yet we point and laugh at them. Some of the 'Royal correspondents' are held in contempt by the Royals themselves, but continue to arse lick and bow and scrape and make them out to be some sort of superhumans, instead of ordinary people who, by accident of birth have ended up in the Royal Family! The horrendous Kay Burley saying Kate did everything right because she had a boy first made me want to smash the telly in!

noblegiraffe · 30/10/2016 11:24

People who are talking about all the royal duties that the queen's cousins do (and indeed the other royals), what are these?

I don't think I've ever seen a royal in real life which you would expect if there are loads of them doing hundreds of necessary engagements that B&E would be needed to take over. We've got loads of celebrities and intellectuals who can open libraries/turn on Christmas lights and so on. What do they do that actually needs royalty?

merrymouse · 30/10/2016 11:44

They draw attention to certain charities - although less so if they are very minor royals.

However that is a bit like the ice bucket challenge - the high profile media coverage brought a lot of attention to one charity, but there is no evidence that it increased charitable giving over all. Also, you could argue that some charities do work that should be funded by the state.

Also, I don't think the UK is better at giving to charity than countries that don't have a royal family - it seems that other famous people can do the job equally well.

Roussette · 30/10/2016 11:45

It is exactly like a watered down North Korea, yet we point and laugh at them

Yes! Freedom of speech and all that...

Where my DD lives the local hairdressers had a poster of Kim Jong Un with the caption "Bad Hair Day? Come in for a haircut!" Within 24 hours he had North korean embassy men in suits visiting him and telling him to take it down. He told them to bog off and the police backed him up!

I saw the poster. Hilarious Grin

It's good we can say what we want about our Royal Family, good and bad!

BigGreenOlives · 30/10/2016 12:03

You can have the best education that money can buy but unless you actually hand in your work and do your homework you aren't going to get the grades. Teenagers need to be self-motivated. I'm sure lots of M'netters know teens who have had opportunities and not taken them up for whatever reason or teens who have worked incredibly hard and not achieved 4 A*s.

The upset of your parents getting divorced while you are very small really affects children. The Yorks separated in 1993 just before Eugenie was 3, poor little thing.

merrymouse · 30/10/2016 12:23

On the other hand, despite coming from a broken home and having parents who have made questionable life choices, Beatrice and Eugenie have benefitted from their family's immense wealth. Some you win, some you loose.

Either way, they aren't necessary additions to the 'working' Royal family.

mummytime · 30/10/2016 12:49

I have seen "other royals" occasionally. Duke of Kent was at the local Uni recently. I've seen Wessex and couple of times.
I think if they do a Royal "job" then they should get expenses + a bit like a contractor, but not general upkeep.
I'm not sure what the deal is with apartments in St James, Kensington Palace etc. But I don't see why Bea or Eugene should have those even, their parents both have big houses and could easily provide them with a little "flat". Maybe one of the London residences needs to be a bit like a "Royal Club" and provide B and B when they need to be in London for a Function/working.

And I'm a Royalist.

raisedbyguineapigs · 30/10/2016 14:07

I read that the Money from the Ice bucket challenge led to a breakthrough in MND research?

I'm struggling to think of what 'duties' they do that random celebs don't do either. If we had an elected ceremonial Head of State, we could vote for people we admire and have achieved something to go on official visits. We would pay for them, their spouses and their children. Their second cousins would have to fend for themselves. The cutting ribbons and representing charities could be done just as well by celebrities.They would connect to young people more directly. I always have stuff on my celeb stalking Instagram where actors are campaigning or publicising one charity or another.

SenecaFalls · 30/10/2016 14:10

The Queen Mother used to say that Philip was the one with all the brains in the family.

Philip's family did have quite a few brainy people. His grandmother, Princess Victoria of Hesse (who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria and the mother of Lord Mountbatten) was very intellectually accomplished. She taught her children herself when they were young and was very forward thinking for her day. She was a strong influence on her children, including Mountbatten and Princess Alice, Philip's mother.

SenecaFalls · 30/10/2016 14:18

I see someone has brought up the Swedish royals and whether Prince Carl Philip is married. Just to decorate the thread further, here he is at his son's christening with his wife Princess Sofia.

The Duke of York wants his daughters to be full time Royals?
savedbythebell · 30/10/2016 15:05

I'm always amazed at how in awe some people are of them. Especially when people who are famous for some remarkable achievements. It should be the royals who are in awe of them.

Cosmicglitterghoul · 30/10/2016 15:12

I did a degree in art history at St Andrews two year before Will and Kate turned up. I got in through clearing with an A, C and a D as they were desperate to fill spaces. Will and Kate bumped up St As no end.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 30/10/2016 15:41

Full time Royals my A-hole. Glorified dolies more like, excluding the threat of sanctions and starvation, though.
If they're going to be living off the public purse. Why are the any better than someone on JSA.

QueenoftheAndals · 30/10/2016 15:52

Seneca, I imagine there must've been a lot of talk among the Swedish aristocratic classes about Carl Philip's choice of bride but they are clearly in love and look very happy together. She also bears a resemblance to his mother!

savedbythebell · 30/10/2016 15:52

Pity the queen doesn't have to suffer the hated "bedroom tax" which anyone with a surplus bedroom on benefits has to pay. All them spare bedrooms at the palace. Hmm

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 30/10/2016 16:05

Yay saved. If this government is looking to save/make more money. Perhaps they should set their sites on Buckingham Palace. I'm sure there are a few rooms there. They could nab their stinking sweaty bedroom tax money from.

SenecaFalls · 30/10/2016 16:16

I agree Queen. And that's one cute baby, too.

I've been sort of following the Swedish RF for a few years because DH met the King and Queen briefly years ago when they were visiting the US. He said they were very friendly and down to earth.

EmNetta · 30/10/2016 16:19

Can't help feeling that if Prince Andrew wants his children to be full=time Royals, he should have thought of this earlier. Much earlier.

rawsienna · 30/10/2016 16:38

George is the image of William.

He isn't really, it's just that he's blond and wears the same clothes his father did. If you take a careful look he's actually the spit of his grandad Middleton.

I think I agree with you Carol.

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 19:57

Vanilla

Andrew got "REV" cancelled?

How?

Why?

The bastard!

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 19:58

Vanilla

Andrew got "REV" cancelled?

How?

Why?

The bastard!

2kids2dogsnosense · 30/10/2016 19:58

Vanilla

Andrew got "REV" cancelled?

How?

Why?

The bastard!

mathanxiety · 30/10/2016 20:20

I think he's the spit of Michael Middleton too.

VanillaSugarandPumpkinSpice · 30/10/2016 20:21

He didn't.
He didn't
He didn't

It was Ambassadors
It was Ambassadors
It was Ambassadors

Same actor
Same actor
Same actor

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