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Original poster

Royal train trip across the UK. How is this good with a pandemic?

154 replies

yoyo1234 · 07/12/2020 21:40

Prior to the Covid 19 pandemic I was not particularly for or against the royal family. I have been rather shocked at somethings they seem to have done throughout the pandemic including moving between (multiple) properties and even countries ( Prince Charles with positive test). Wondering what others think of the latest ongoing journey through England, Wales and Scotland.
YABU- they should travel

YANBU- traveling sets a bad example.

OP posts:
Womencanlift · 08/12/2020 13:44

@zafferana

You're a po-faced lot. This is what the RF do - they visit places and cut ribbons and keep up the nation's morale. It's like during the Blitz when the QM and King George VI went and visited people who'd been bombed. I'm no particularly royalist, but I'm glad William and Kate are getting out and doing something. They've been sitting at home on Zoom all year like the rest of us, but they should be visible and doing their bit. They won't get closer than 2m to anyone and they're travelling on their own private train, so they won't be spreading Covid around the land.
Can you imagine what this post would have been like if there was MN during the Blitz.

Instead of the morale boosting visits to the east end that are remembered by the residents decades later, it would have been who the hell do the think they are, coming to bomb sites when they were in their palace last night Smile

Yohoheaveho · 08/12/2020 13:54

@midnightstar66

It might not be work you approve of but it's a large part of their job.
They don't have jobs they have roles which they perform They're not working they are performing
Baaaahhhhh · 08/12/2020 13:56

I think you need to ask the people/organisations that they visited whether they approved of the trip. I suspect they were thrilled to have some support/recognition/limelight. Most of those who they visit need some PR, and whether you approve or not, they get it with a visit from the royals.

MarshaBradyo · 08/12/2020 14:00

Mixed feelings. On one hand better than doing not much at all bar the odd zoom. Oth it’s all a bit irrelevant and at odds with reality for most.

But since some people will get joy from it apparently, then maybe just do it.

VinylDetective · 08/12/2020 14:05

They're not working they are performing

So actors don’t work?

NewNameNewJob · 08/12/2020 14:07

I must admit my opinion of W&K took a battering on seeing this. I get it's meant to be PR, and work can happen but it does feel like an almighty V sign. None of this was necessary right now. It's not just them and how careful (or not) they are being it's all of the staff involved in these events, encouraging public meetings at a time when the message should be FFS stop at home, keep your hands to yourself and ride out the storm. If they wanted to cheer folk up so like Jacinda and do social media lives (I know they have done some online stuff), go on telly once in a while or radio, stop flouncing up and down the country!

MrsKingfisher · 08/12/2020 14:09

If they'd have sat at home and no one had heard from them people would moan about them, I can't imagine getting on and off a train being polite to all and sundry, listening to shitty brass bands play jingle bells all day is much fun but it's part of what they do.

Lots of people really appreciate them showing up for them and saying thank you. When was the last time one of you miserable sods thanked someone for doing something amazing?

TokyoSushi · 08/12/2020 14:12

I'm usually very pro-Royal, but I'm not sure that this was a great idea and in hindsight, they may see that too.

Yohoheaveho · 08/12/2020 14:13

@VinylDetective

They're not working they are performing

So actors don’t work?

Actors can be sacked
BoggiesBonnieBelle · 08/12/2020 14:29

oneglassandpuzzled and midnightstar66 - I have a very poorly and shielding parent.

TeenyTinyDustinHoffman · 08/12/2020 14:29

@MrsKingfisher

If they'd have sat at home and no one had heard from them people would moan about them, I can't imagine getting on and off a train being polite to all and sundry, listening to shitty brass bands play jingle bells all day is much fun but it's part of what they do.

Lots of people really appreciate them showing up for them and saying thank you. When was the last time one of you miserable sods thanked someone for doing something amazing?

When have I last thanked someone? Well that would be multiple times each day. That's basic politeness. Even miserable sods are capable of that. When have I last toured the country on a massive PR stunt to the attention of the national media while large parts of the country are locked down... Well, you've got me there.
anniegun · 08/12/2020 14:32

Work is permitted everywhere - it doesn't have to be essential. This is their job. I am a republican but if they have a role, this is it!

eddiemairswife · 08/12/2020 14:41

I'm elderly and live on my own. They haven't Zoomed me yet.

WitchQueenofDarkness · 08/12/2020 14:43

A ridiculous idea and very patronising - they are immensely privileged and hey get to travel to areas closed to the rest of us.

If they were to turn up at my workplace (pandemic or not) I'd be working from home or taking an extended lunch break if caught on the hop. I'm not here to be used by them to bolster their image

vanillandhoney · 08/12/2020 14:45

@BoggiesBonnieBelle

Divebar, I haven't been to the hairdresser since February. Neither have my husband or my son. My daughter has been once. I haven't had my nails done. I've been for lunch twice since March - and one of those times was when the alternative was hanging about in the rain while my car was MOT'd. I've been in a friend's house once since March- we had been out for a socially distanced walk, I tripped and went into her house to clean the graze, rather than leave it till I got home.

I've had a plumber in my house twice since March, but no family or friends.

All that effort and William and Kate swan around as though there is no pandemic and it doesn't matter.

Nobody has made you do any of that, though It's personal choice.

Between us, DH and I have been to the hairdresser, into numerous shops, out for meals in restaurants, cafes and pubs. We've visited family under the "rule of six" and I go into people's homes everyday for work.

All of that was legal and was in line with the regulations at the time. You may have chosen to limit your life but don't act as though everyone else has to live the same way.

vanillandhoney · 08/12/2020 14:47

@BonnieDundee

Yes its work.but its not essential work. It's an utter pisstake. The RF have had different rules to he rest of us throughout the pandemic though.Hmm
But it doesn't have to be essential work. I don't why people keep trotting out that line. It's always been the case that if you cannot work from home and your industry is open, you can travel for work as normal.
TeenyTinyDustinHoffman · 08/12/2020 15:09

But why can't they "work" from home? Is anything going to fall into disrepair if they aren't there to wave at it? Will they have their income docked? Are they going to lose their roles if they don't do it? Have a disciplinary?

MrsKingfisher · 08/12/2020 15:16

They're just doing something nice to make people feel appreciated. Is that so awful, I bet they would rather be at home than that crappy job.

They're privileged so what, when you look at other countries most of us are also privileged. Why must folk find fault with everything, can't just accept some things for what they are no they have to moan about issues they can't change.

Find something to be happy about, hasn't this year been shit enough without thread after thread tearing others down.

oneglassandpuzzled · 08/12/2020 15:18

I don't have strong feelings either way about them, but they are representing the head of state, the Queen, and this is the kind of work the head of state does in time of crisis.

grassisjeweled · 08/12/2020 15:20

www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1368975/royal-tour-kate-middleton-prince-william-inside-royal-train-uk-evg

'During the visit Kate and William will visit care homes, schools and food banks, as well as groups of people at a social distance.'

Mighty fine of them.

You know, before they go back to Kensington or wherever.

When's the revolution?

grassisjeweled · 08/12/2020 15:24

'Why must folk find fault with everything, can't just accept some things for what they are no they have to moan about issues they can't change.'

^^

Quite. just bend over a bit more. It'll all be fine.

Oh. Just a sec:

'www.bbc.com/news/business-52660591

'UK unemployment is likely to reach 2.6 million in the middle of 2021, according to the government's economic watchdog, or 7.5% of the working age population. It's currently about 1.6 million.'

Quite hard to accept the Royals when you can't even find some shitty minimum wage job in a supermarket owned by a billionaire.

It's Lord and Serfdom, all over again.

MarshaBradyo · 08/12/2020 15:24

@grassisjeweled

'Why must folk find fault with everything, can't just accept some things for what they are no they have to moan about issues they can't change.'

^^

Quite. just bend over a bit more. It'll all be fine.

Oh. Just a sec:

'www.bbc.com/news/business-52660591

'UK unemployment is likely to reach 2.6 million in the middle of 2021, according to the government's economic watchdog, or 7.5% of the working age population. It's currently about 1.6 million.'

Quite hard to accept the Royals when you can't even find some shitty minimum wage job in a supermarket owned by a billionaire.

It's Lord and Serfdom, all over again.

Pretty much
MrsKingfisher · 08/12/2020 15:52

It's all about perspective, but you keep focused on the awful things..join the other chickens beaks down, can't see further than the end of their noses.

thegrassisgreenwhereyouwaterit · 08/12/2020 15:53

It’s absolute bollocks that they just do what they like, when the rest of us have to follow the rules/advice.

As far as I’m concerned it’s not essential travel. The amount of people who will be aboard that train, facilitating, feeding, advising etc etc, is ridiculous, not to mention all the people meeting them for absolutely no good reason.

VinylDetective · 08/12/2020 16:01

@thegrassisgreenwhereyouwaterit

It’s absolute bollocks that they just do what they like, when the rest of us have to follow the rules/advice.

As far as I’m concerned it’s not essential travel. The amount of people who will be aboard that train, facilitating, feeding, advising etc etc, is ridiculous, not to mention all the people meeting them for absolutely no good reason.

They don’t do as they like. This tour will have been meticulously planned by their advisors, they didn’t suddenly wake up one morning and decide what a jolly good idea it was.

Travel for work is permitted. That work doesn’t have to be essential. There will be a minimum of people on the train and it’s just about the safest train journey to be taken this month.

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