So what the fuck are Kate and Willy doing?

[RogueV]

Isn’t there a princess in Europe that’s now working as a HCA?

A queen somewhere in Asia cooking for the poor?

Harry and Meghan delivering meals?

Bet if Diana was here she’d be out doing everything in her power to help the ordinary folk 💪

In fairness, while I don't necessarily agree with the concept of monarchy, I don't think anyone could argue that the Queen has approached her role with anything other than sincere commitment to it. It is obviously extraordinary that she carries out so many engagements at her age and has done for so many decades, and I do absolutely respect her for that.

She also is very good at presenting herself as frugal, practical, sensible and committed to her 'subjects'. (I don't know her so I can't say if she is all of these things behind closed doors). But whether true or not, it's less offensive to people than others in the RF.

@mamamia456

Yes, for a 93 year old that is a lot. I have always said the queen is hard working.

But that would certainly not be a full schedule for a younger king or queen. How many of the letters does she answer personally? I've never heard of her writing to anyone personally, bar the centenarians. And of course these will include letters from friends, relatives etc.

Followed by a 20 minute meeting with secretaries.

Lunch.

Then engagements (if she has any, and which the above 'several in one morning' demonstrates they are often 15 minutes long, possibly half an hour).

You cant honestly say that is a full schedule for a working age king or queen?

I've given up asking you and the grant, duchy etc, I'm not going to ever get an answer from you.

The royals didnt' magic their money with a fairy wand

They have been and still are asisted by tax breaks us peasants can only dream of.

They most certainly didn’t

Eh?

assisted

Laurie Marlow - She's in her 90s for God's sake, of course she'll have someone running a bath for her!

Lol and someone calls that work?

Good grief. That's on a par with sorting out family photos on a computer as being an essential task.

What do they do that's worthwhile?

No don't bother replying. There's no argument you can use.

Charlatans the lot of them. Off with their heads!

They are now invisible because of lockdown, is there a difference re pre Covid lockdown?

Anyone who likes, admires, and worships them are living in a fantasy world, just like RF themselves with lots of moolah.

They are on the way out now hopefully. I cannot think of one thing they do for us really anymore. Sad face.

She carries out around 430 engagements (including audiences) a year.

Ok let's break this down. One of the problems with the reporting on the royals I have is the smoke-and-mirrors way in which they report statistics (such as the sovereign grant being calculated per head, engagements being added to together for the whole family).

The itinerary says the queen has an audience every day. Let's say she has one every working day. That's 261 a year. 430 minus 261 is 169.

Then it says when she Carrie's out engagements she often does a few in one morning. Let's say the average is 2.

169 divided by 2 is 84.5. So that's only 84ish days of the year that engagements happen. So that works out at 1.6 engagements a week over the year.

So in summary; the 'number of engagements' equates to a 20 minute meeting on weekdays, and 1 or 2 engagements a week.

Dont get me wrong that is more than enough for a 93 year old lady, but a younger king or queen?

Please point out if my maths is dodgy!

Mamamia456

She's in her 90s for God's sake, of course she'll have someone running a bath for her!

So, all 90 year old people need to have a bath drawn for them? Not even mentioning the temperature taking and measuring the depth of the water (why, for goodness' sake?).

And presumably she's only needed this service since she was, what? 80? 70?

I wonder if she was running her own bath in her 20s or 30s?

*And the Beckhams come from a working class and lower middle class background respectively.

They absolutely are self made.

They were lucky enough to have talents that were highly valued (in monetary terms) by the society they live in, but also great aptitude in marketing themselves to avail of all opportunities*

In other words they’re good at conning people. He was good at kicking a ball and she coasted on the backs of four other women, then married judiciously. They have no marketing talent, other people do that for a cut. Queen or Victoria Beckham? Absolutely no contest.

I don’t give a flying f&ck

@alsohuman

You dont get it do you? The Beckhams are not fabulously wealthy from taking taxpayers money.

Issue is how much they have been cosseted all their lives.

No problem with Queenie having her bath run for her, but honestly a walk in shower would be easier all round. Maybe that's what she does but who cares.

They have never had to live an ordinary life, and could not cope with it, but the rest of us who are paying for their privilege have to.

In other words they’re good at conning people

Well the Queen got where she is by having ancestors who were best at kicking the shit out of others on the battle field a thousand years ago.

Wow. Noble.

And if you don’t recognise that the Beckhams have great marketing nous you’re an idiot.

Interestingly the Queen Mum had this too. The Queen too to some degree. Shame about the rest.

In other words they’re good at conning people

Well that is true of the royal family yes. As for the Beckhams - I don't care what they do as I don't find fund them.

Wolfgirrl - No, the 10-20 minutes audiences are after the meeting with her private secretaries. The afternoon engagements are in addition. Don't forget some royal engagements that she goes to can take up a whole day. Although I think these have been given to Prince Charles and William now that she's in her 90s.

I did answer your questions, I think I agreed with you with regards to the Duchy donating food.

Beckham earn their money because some people choose to pay to watch them. Fine. Choice being key.

As for conning I think the RF have done an excellent job. Look at the people who say they love them, think they are superior, ‘blue blood’, more valuable. What a lucky con.

The instagrammers, the influencers, the idiots who have big eyebrows, the travel gurus, the whatever are doing their nut in now.

OK. get real people, it is all a marketing and money making joke and they are peppering now.

then married judiciously.

People never become royal by doing that, do they?

Even the queen's dear old mum married judiciously, and I'm far more inclined to believe that the Beckhams' marriage was, initially, a love match.

And I've no interest in football but a lot of people do. And David B. was obviously a good player.
If that's "conning" people what an earth do the royal family do?

I couldn't play a good game of football - it is a talent - but I bet I could wave, snip a ribbon and make a speech.

I bet I could wave, snip a ribbon and make a speech

Particularly when you’ve been told exactly what to do and the speech has been written for you

Not only could I not play football like DB. I couldn’t design clothes to the standard of VB either.

The Beckhams are not fabulously wealthy from taking taxpayers money

They’re trying to take taxpayer’s money to shore up her hobby business. What’s the difference?

Particularly when you’ve been told exactly what to do and the speech has been written for you

Have to say, it would help.
And if someone could arrange my transport, meals, lay out my clothes etc that would be lovely.

Thinking about it, queen Mary married fairly judiciously, didn't she?
Initially engaged to the prince of Wales' eldest son, then fortuitously falling for his brother (the next in line) when her first fiance died.
She obviously had a natural yen for heirs to the throne.

VB wouldn't have got away with a stunt like that.

LaMarschallin - I would imagine the majority of people in their 90s do. In fact most people in their 90s would struggle to even step in to the bath unaided.

I have relatives in their 80s who need help with bathing, what's wrong with that?

A) it’s not a hobby business, educate yourself

B) an unprecedented number of businesses are seeking government help in the most challenging times we’ve ever seen. Is trying to save people’s jobs a bad thing now?