The knives are out for the royal family

[justasking111]

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.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49398852

The attached pic of Elton and Harry reminds me of a parent accompanying their child to a meeting with the Head to discuss possible expulsion

The Royal Family have never been so unpopular as they are now.

I don’t know - I think their lowest point in recent memory was 1997, after the death of Diana.

I just don't understand why the hatred specifically against Meghan and Harry

You may want to review your understanding of the word hate.

In any case, a state funded Royal family in 2019 is wrong, particularly in the face of record levels of inequality. Some members seem to revel in their piss taking spending and privilege, alongside an overall message that suggests a casual contempt for the people who keep them.

Now and again they will throw us some crumbs in the form of a wedding or released photo, but their existence is obscene, and more and more of us are acknowledging this.

made an 'appropriate contribution' to a carbon footprint fund. Talk about tone deaf. You couldn't make it up

I don’t understand the offsetting carbon footprint thing. Does one really negate the other or...?

The recent C4 documentary was very good. Among the male Windsors, George V and VI were very much the white sheep of the family. The rest are a very rum bunch: Nazi Dave and his brother the drug addict who'd shag anything that stayed still for long enough (Dave confined himself to women, George wasn't so fussy.) Henry was cut from the same philandering cloth as his grandad Dirty Bertie.

The Queen's boys are par for the course. Charles in the Royal Train in a guarded siding provided with a continuous supply of debs, including one Sarah Spencer. Eddie the waste of space provided with sixteen-year-olds who sold their stories to the News of the Screws.

And dear old Andy: Koo Stark, Katey Rabbette, Vicki Hodge, ...etc, and gosh had no idea about Epstein four years after he'd been convicted.

The women are generally the reverse. Only Mustique Margaret the old chain-smoking shagbag to let the side down.

Andrew was given the task of escorting Donald and Melania Trump round Westminster Abbey. Trump looked at PA as if he was shit under his shoe. I know why now.

I would have thought it obvious that my post was meant to be sarcastic, but clearly it wasn't obvious enough for some

Then I genuinely apologise, IcedPurple - I honestly thought you meant it

I agree with whoever said that HM might aim to outlive Charles, though; indeed some may say that it's the greatest of all services she could offer the monarchy (even though we republicans can see obvious benefits to him having the role)

Looking at the state of him it might not even be that hard either ...

I just can’t get my head around that a 6 year old is going to grow up to be our head of state and supreme governor of the Church of England, the more I think about it the more absurd it seems, it’s time this royal farce was over it’s 2019 ffs.

I don’t understand the offsetting carbon footprint thing. Does one really negate the other or...?

As someone very aptly put it above, carbon offsetting is the modern equivalent of medieval indulgences. All about salving the conscience.

And now Elton is saying that he offered his private jet for their 'protection'. So the several RPO's, paid for at public expense, aren't enough for them? Nor is business class on a BA flight, which Harry and other royals have used many times in the past?

These two should just relenquish all their royal titles and privileges and move to LA to be celebs. Though then again, given that the only reason anyone is interested in them is their royal status, that might pose something of a dilemma.

Princess Ann kids have been raised in a different way and know about making their own way

Princess Anne's kids 'make their own way' by milking their gold plated connections and background so hard it's surprising their hands don't fall off.

Elton has just made this worse. His rant is cringe embarrassing, over protective and causes even more of a wedge between M and H and the public. As though the great unwashed are held in contempt and they must be shielded from us at all times ( except when it suits eg when they want us to find their wedding). Bloody Hell Elton instead of paying for private jets for this pair of numpties, donate the money to a good and worthwhile cause.

you have your opinion and I have mine (based on facts, research and bothering to look into these things)

If you’d bother to do research, you’d know that carbon offsets are just greenwashing.

Here’s a great explanation: www.responsibletravel.com/copy/carbon-offsets

there are similar complainants about RF in other European countries they might appear " more normal" but there are scandals in Spain Monaco, there have been in the Netherlands etc etc Norway, Sweden and Denmark have Royal families that have problems as well as being modern countries only a few weeks ago maybe not that long there was a fuss about Princess Marie Louise and her Shaman boyfriend trading on her Royal title, none of them are ordinary they are all unbelievably privileged and wealthy and unaccountable

Trump looked at PA as if he was shit under his shoe. I know why now.

Really? A man who said he could "grab" a woman by the "pussy", and whose sole criterion for judging women is whether or not they are f**kable is hardly one whose opinion of any individual is worthy of consideration.

@CathyorClaire I know someone who worked with Peter Phillips and said he was gracious, bright and friendly, a joy to work with. She was really impressed

Would abolishing the monarchy make any difference?

It depends on how you look at it. At best we guesstimate their worth to our tourism market.

Their big rise in spending is for improvements to Buckingham Palace which would have to be done anyway.

The Queen and prince Charles both pay voluntary income tax on their private incomes.

IMO If we reduced the sovereign purse but also the number of Royals then the books would probably balance in the states favour. Have direct throne lineage only as funded by the tax payer for Royal duties only.

@Pamplemousecat @MangoFeverDream
Agree completely. These are absolutely discussions we should be allowed to have. The monarchy should NOT be above criticism. Even the media don’t seem afraid of criticising them, so what’s the issue in mumsnet?

The issue is that Harry and Meghan have a massive group of obsessive and insane fans who trawl the internet looking for anyone saying anything less than 100% positive about the Sussexes then mass reporting, harassing and sometimes threatening them. I had an encounter with these people on Twitter because I said MM ‘might be a bit of a chancer’. They also post obscene and scurrilous abuse about William and Kate. Recently Kate was photographed at a sailing event bending down to talk to a child. Meghan’s insane fans described this as being ‘a wh* with her arse in the air’.

I doubt Mumsnet want the aggravation of these nutters.

What. The. Fuck. are the they thinking?? What are their advisors doing? I'm fairly sure business class with BA to both Nice and Ibiza are of criticising them, so what’s the issue in mumsnet?

I don’t think they have advisors, or at least none they’re listening to. Meghan seems to be extremely naive and believes she can carry on behaving like she did before she married. And Harry is a deeply, deeply stupid man he had the best education money can buy and aside from being good at art only managed a D in geography A’Level. The overwhelming majority of the British public are better educated and more intelligent than him, so him lecturing us then being a massive hypocrite sits well with few people.

none of them are ordinary they are all unbelievably privileged and wealthy and unaccountable

Yes I agree. Hence my point about how royalty is an inherently archaic institution. The very notion that you come in for special privilege simply by being born or getting married is about as unmodern as you can get. And that's true even if the royals in Denmark ride bikes or wear jeans.

I don’t think they have advisors, or at least none they’re listening to.

They most certainly have advisors. But they seem to think that they know better.

Meghan seems to be extremely naive and believes she can carry on behaving like she did before she married

Oh, I don't think she's naive in the slightest. She simply doesn't give a shit. And neither does Harry. Which has me scratching my head as to why so many people seem to care so passionately about them.

You only have to read biographies about people like Michael Jackson, Elvis and the other mega famous people. There is no-one to refuse them anything their every wish is granted. They stamp their feet like toddlers when crossed. Dismiss anyone in their employ who crosses them. It truly is to their detriment.

Elton has just made this worse. His rant is cringe embarrassing, over protective and causes even more of a wedge between M and H and the public. As though the great unwashed are held in contempt and they must be shielded from us at all times ( except when it suits eg when they want us to find their wedding).

Exactly. And dragging out his poor dead mother to justify them living in indulgent luxury. Diana caught scheduled flights and was known for briefing journalists in the galley.

Elton John: basically what he’s saying is that the rich can carry on exactly as they wish, jetting across the world and chilling on super yachts because they can afford to plant trees (see also Emma Thompson, Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Leonardo Di Caprio).

But us lumpen proles must forgo our once a year holiday or flights to see relatives.

It’s disgraceful, snobby, Marie Antoinette level bullshit.

Elton now saying he paid for their private plane. He has posted some sickly little rant on Instagram.

I thought the Royals weren't supposed to accept freebies...

Oh, I don't think she's naive in the slightest. She simply doesn't give a shit. And neither does Harry. Which has me scratching my head as to why so many people seem to care so passionately about them

Same. The zealous defence is baffling.

@Ibiza2015

Absolutely agree.

Elton if you’re reading I’ve had a hectic year

Nice is lovely this time of year

I’d be very happy to become one of your closest friends

I know someone who worked with Peter Phillips and said he was gracious, bright and friendly, a joy to work with

I don't doubt it but it doesn't mean he didn't flog his wedding pics for a cool £half mill or happily have his events company trouser £750K for a charity event celebrating the Queen's 90th that didn't go out to tender and that raised less than he was paid due to invitees being unwilling or unable to foot the £150 ticket bill.

Even I might be gracious, bright and friendly if I could command that kind of money for a family knees-up and an uncontested job quote.