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Original poster

The knives are out for the royal family

999 replies

justasking111 · 19/08/2019 14:26

It may be deserved in some cases, however it would seem the gloves are off as far as the media are concerned. They have lived high on the hog for centuries so what is new?

Am scratching my head here is it shoot the royal family season or a smoke and mirrors exercise designed to distract us from something more important??

I would hate to be in the PR business with the RF just now.

OP posts:
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IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:33

Given the level of paparazzi interest and likely behaviour by some members of the public it could be genuinely difficult for them to fly with “Joe Public” on any airline IMO.

Other celebrities - and indeed other members of the royal family, including the sainted ones themselves in the past - manage to slum it (well, travel first class) with us plebs and live to tell the tale. And what do you mean by "likely behaviour by some members of the public"? Aside from the fact that they are surrounded by highly trained RPOs at all times - paid for by the very public you seem to think pose such a threat to this shower - isn't it rather insulting to the public to assume that they're an inhrent threat?

Not to mention that this was an entirely unneccessary and frivolous trip. They had just been to Ibiza - again by private jet - so had absolutely no reason to jet off again. The excuses simply will not wash.

LaurieMarlow · 21/08/2019 16:36

it’s the hypocrisy

What specifically do you want them to apologise for is what I’m asking.

Charles has been hypocritically lecturing about the environment for years. I’ve never seen anyone ask for an apology from him.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:37

Elton is a drama Llamha though any excuse to mention how close he was to Diana

Was he really that close to her? Apparently she froze him out for months (a favourite habit of hers) not long before her death because he featured pictures of her sons in a book alongside semi-naked male models.

I suspect their 'friendship' was more akin to the mutually beneficial PR alliances between her daughter-in-law and her various new-found celeb 'friends' than to what most of us would consider a real frienship.

LaurieMarlow · 21/08/2019 16:37

manage to slum it (well, travel first class) with us plebs and live to tell the tale.

The other royals sometimes slum it and sometimes go private. Which is true of H&M too.

Anyone would think the royals were strangers to jets the way people are talking.

Loopytiles · 21/08/2019 16:40

I meant that it seems likely that some people would do things like try to take pictures on phones, to sell. Or intrude on privacy in some way. Not that the royals would necessarily be at physical risk.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:41

The other royals sometimes slum it and sometimes go private. Which is true of H&M too.

When was the last time any of them took 4 private jets for entirely frivolous reasons within the space of 5 days? And only weeks after lecturing the plebs about the environment?

The Meghanistas really need to let this one go and go back to defending her spending on couture gowns. Certain behaviours simply aren't worth defending. Though why anyone would be so energised in defending these two is simply beyond me.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:45

I meant that it seems likely that some people would do things like try to take pictures on phones, to sell

But royals travel commercial quite frequently. How often do you see pics of them? And even if there were, so what? They are public figures, funded by the public. If they are so incredibly sensitive that they can't have a photo taken in a public space, best they retire from public life.

Or intrude on privacy in some way.

Nobody has a right to privacy when in public. No, not even 'royals'.

Like I say, people need to stop trying to defend this as they are embarrassing themselves for people who wouldn't lift a finger for them in return.

Original poster
justasking111 · 21/08/2019 16:45

They did stay in Europe rather than head for more distant pastures, so that used less fuel. I really do not expect the rich royal or not to behave any differently. As someone said Charles has got away with it for decades.

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IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:48

They did stay in Europe rather than head for more distant pastures, so that used less fuel.

Less fuel than what? Next you'll be saying, well, they only took 2, not 3 holidays by private jet, so leave the poor babies alone!

Keep 'em coming. The excuses are increasingly verging on the comical.

GlitchStitch · 21/08/2019 16:51

Well it saved the general public from assassination attempts according to JJ so if you ask me they are heroes!!

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 16:53

Well it saved the general public from assassination attempts according to JJ so if you ask me they are heroes!!

I think London, Windsor and other cities which have these living gods otherwise known as royals should be immediately evacutated of all plebs. That way, not only would these millions of peasants be saved the security risks of living adjacent to the royals, said royals could also forego the indignities of living in the same environment as the great unwashed, some of whom might do something heinous like take photographs of them.

GlitchStitch · 21/08/2019 16:53

And yes holidaying 'locally' in EJ's private villa in Nice was a real sacrifice, good on them slumming it in order to save fuel.

GCAcademic · 21/08/2019 16:58

Well Jameela Jamil has stepped in to tell everyone that it is not safe for royals to fly with the general public so they are actually doing us plebs a life saving favour by flying private I guess!

Lol, she’s such an airhead. But maybe she’s right. They’re a danger to us plebs when they fly commercial. Therefore they are also putting the public in danger when they leave their palaces and attend events. For our own safety it would be best if we got rid of the lot of them, pronto.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 17:02

Notice that other than EJ himself - who has his reasons (namely Ginge 'n' Cringe promoting his film rather than attending a memorial event) - are distinctly C and D list. Who outside of Canada - or maybe even inside of it - had ever heard of Jessica Mulroney before Meghan married Dimwit? It's all gove rather quiet around her great friends Oprah, Serena and the Clooneys. Have they got a new PR agency?

Original poster
justasking111 · 21/08/2019 17:13

Hands up who would refuse a jet flight and a free holiday in a luxury villa if it was offered Grin

OP posts:
IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 17:16

Hands up who would refuse a jet flight and a free holiday in a luxury villa if it was offered

If I was a public servant who is strictly forbidden from accepting freebies, and if I had more than enough money to fund my own luxury holidays - having just returned from one only days previously - then yes, I would certainly refuse.

I'm start of feeling sorry for that barrell you're scraping so vigorously.

Hithere12 · 21/08/2019 17:18

Hands up who would refuse a jet flight and a free holiday in a luxury villa if it was offered

Would always choose to fly on a scheduled flight. At this point you have to be a bit of a sociopath to unnecessarily use a private plane.

GCAcademic · 21/08/2019 17:19

Hands up who would refuse a jet flight and a free holiday in a luxury villa if it was offered grin

Well, I definitely wouldn’t say no!* But then I’ve not been busily branding myself as an eco-warrior and preaching to the plebs on that basis.

*Although, if it involved staying with Elton John, I would actually refuse, as I can’t stand the twat.

Loopytiles · 21/08/2019 17:23

Yes, for a public servant it would be misconduct to accept a gift like that. The Royals are meant to abide by principles of public life.

GCAcademic · 21/08/2019 17:23

Actually, that is a good point. As a public servant, I’m not allowed to accept freebies. Anything more than (the value of) a box of chocolates from students or associates has to be politely refused. I don’t understand why the royals are exempt from this, or how they comply with the anti-bribery laws in this country. Many of these freebies are not coming via personal relationships, they are relationships that have accrued through their royal positions.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 17:27

I'm a lowly teacher. I'm strictly forbidden from accepting gifts or hospitality from my students, as it might be considered a form of bribery or favouritism. Were I to be found to have accepted even a box of chocolates from one of them, I could be in serious trouble. But since I know the rules of my job, I don't.

The problem is Cringe and Ginge think they are celebrities, not public servants. And in the celeb world, if something is given, something will almost certainly be accepted in return. That is simply not on when one is a public servant. And before one of the whatabouters comes on screaming that other royals have done this, yes thank I know. And if you're interested, yes I condemn that too.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 17:29

Many of these freebies are not coming via personal relationships, they are relationships that have accrued through their royal positions.

Well exactly. Meghan would have been removed by security guards had she come too close to maison de Elton only a few short years ago. What changed since then, I wonder?

Hopefullyendsmeet · 21/08/2019 17:39

Well exactly. Meghan would have been removed by security guards had she come too close to maison de Elton only a few short years ago. What changed since then, I wonder?

I’ve said upthread that I think H&M are being hypocritical in their behaviour. However this is a bit of a ridiculous argument. I mean, before I met my OH, I didn’t know any of his friends and therefore wouldn’t have been invited to holiday with them. Now I am. Harry and Meghan didn’t accept a freebie in the capacity of being a civil servant. They accepted a gift from a friend.

IcedPurple · 21/08/2019 17:44

However this is a bit of a ridiculous argument. I mean, before I met my OH, I didn’t know any of his friends and therefore wouldn’t have been invited to holiday with them. Now I am..

A friend? Really? How often do you reckon they hang out? Do young men normally have close friends twice their age? Not to mention that Diana had another son. Is he heading off to Nice on private jets to see his friend Elton?

Harry and Meghan didn’t accept a freebie in the capacity of being a civil servant

I said public servant, not civil servant. And royals are strictly forbidden from taking freebies. Which isn't, to repeat, to say that they're the first to break this rule, but it's not usually splashed all over the papers.

If royals can use their status to get luxury flights and holidays for free, why do they need even a penny of our money? I can think of better ways to use it.

QualCheckBot · 21/08/2019 17:45

Members of the RF being hypocrites about climate change is awful. It comes across as lecturing the peasants on how to cut back while showing that they themselves are too important/elite/rich to have to.

Members of the RF accepting freebies from pop stars is about as tacky as it gets. At least I thought it was, until said pop star was apparently allowed to defend them by saying he had paid carbon compensation, so that was all right.

And Meghan and Harry actually have a vast PR team, paid for by the public purse! If they are this inept, perhaps they would do better with no PR team at all.