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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
tigger1001 · 09/12/2020 07:28

@Skysblue

Yanbu. It’s a stupid idea and a bad example. Next summer after the vaccine is widespread it would have been a nice idea but this is too early. We’re about to head for a really nasty spike in cases in Jan after all the xmas mixing.
Totally agree! This just wasn't the time to be meeting with front line workers. In the summer, once the vaccination program is well underway and there are signs of life returning a little bit back to normal, would have been a much better plan.

It's not just about the royals either - all the people involved in these visits, police etc. Not well thought out in current times.

formerbabe · 09/12/2020 07:41

It is brash to flash the cash when people dont have coats. Are we now up to 8 different coats worn on a 3 day trip

I don't think a coat is an especially flash item...like a pp said it's probably to distinguish when they're in a new place. She's married to the heir to the throne...does anyone really think she only has one coat?! She's hardly rocked up dripping in diamonds.

snookercue · 09/12/2020 08:41

I don't think a coat is an especially flash item...

a coat, no. But 8 coats Confused

TwinklyLightsandBaubles · 09/12/2020 09:16

I don’t begrudge Kate wearing different coats. The queen usually has a jazzy new outfit for every occasion. She was all blinged up the other day looking very festive in red with sparkles!

I’m no royalist and I think this rail trip should have been postponed until the spring. Even though they might mean well it doesn’t seem right when most of the country is under some kind of restriction. But I don’t expect Kate to go around with a couple of blankets chucked over her shoulders. A few nice coats are perfectly acceptable in my view.

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 13:05

They could:

1 Donate funds to research and those financially impacted by covid - we don’t know they haven’t

2 Raise morale verbally/via video call etc - they’ve done this pretty constantly

3 Make public statements urging the public to follow their lead and stick to the rules and minimise the spread - the Queen’s done this

4 Raise the profile of charities that are supporting those affected and researching the illness - are there any such charities?

5 They could have paid their staff that were laid off and/or furloughed themselves and let the staff particularly vulnerable to covid have paid leave from their duties - they can certainly afford it! - again we have no idea how they’ve treated their staff

Some responses to your suggestions @Graphista.

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 13:06

@snookercue

I don't think a coat is an especially flash item...

a coat, no. But 8 coats Confused

I’ve got more than eight coats 🤷‍♀️
HitthatroadJack · 09/12/2020 13:13

They just demonstrate once again how pointless the royal family is for this country and how much contempt they have for anyone else.

It's a joke, but people are not laughing.

snookercue · 09/12/2020 13:21

I’ve got more than eight coats 🤷‍♀️

Me too. I guess I was silly to reply to that comment.

SecretSpAD · 09/12/2020 13:39

I tend to think if you are a supermarket worker you might be more moved or inspired by that than by them hiding out at home.

Can you get more patronising? Why should a supermarket worker be any more inspired by these workshy non-entities than anyone else? I'm sure supermarket workers - indeed all workers - would much prefer a payrise instead of having to make small talk with the pampered rich.

Mydogmylife · 09/12/2020 13:52

Jolly well done those of you with more than eight coats - hope you feel a better person for it

52andblue · 09/12/2020 13:57

They visited Berwick upon Tweed in Northumberland.
A small School - no doubt exciting for the kids.
But we are in Tier 3 and can't move around freely for a reason.
It's a waste of money and dangerous to all those involved.
I'd much rather they donated to the Foodbank.
It's Desperately needed around here.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/12/2020 14:01

‘3 Make public statements urging the public to follow their lead and stick to the rules and minimise the spread‘

I think their doing this would be worse than their not doing it tbh. There’s nothing worse than being lectured by rich people in vastly different circumstances than most of us.

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 16:11

@Mydogmylife

Jolly well done those of you with more than eight coats - hope you feel a better person for it
It was purely to show it’s not limited to the fabulously wealthy. Hats off to you @snookercue, it’s a rare thing for someone to say something like that 😊
snookercue · 09/12/2020 16:38

@Mydogmylife

Jolly well done those of you with more than eight coats - hope you feel a better person for it

Literally made an apology and still not good enough for Mumsnet Grin

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 16:41

Nothing’s good enough for some on MN! 😉

HallFloor · 09/12/2020 16:41

I've was fairly relaxed about moving between houses, there seemed to be sensible reasoning behind it and the timing meant no actual rules were broken, but I really can't fathom why anyone thought a trip with the specific purpose of seeing as many people as possible was a good idea.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/12/2020 16:42

‘Literally made an apology and still not good enough for Mumsnet grin‘

Well you have eight coats so you’re doomed to burn in hell for all eternity either way. Grin

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 16:44

@TheCountessofFitzdotterel

‘Literally made an apology and still not good enough for Mumsnet grin‘

Well you have eight coats so you’re doomed to burn in hell for all eternity either way. Grin

At least we’ll have each other for company @snookercue!
snookercue · 09/12/2020 16:44

GrinGrinGrin

imamearcat · 09/12/2020 20:33

Since when does it need to be essential work? That's not a rule in this lockdown. Also I'm sure they would rather be at home! Not like they are swanning around in holiday!

Mydogmylife · 09/12/2020 21:20

@imamearcat
Since tier 3 and 4 regs in the areas of Scotland that they visited

BonnieDundee · 09/12/2020 21:33

Since when does it need to be essential work? That's not a rule in this lockdown.

Scotland only allowing essential travel from England so it is a rule

VinylDetective · 09/12/2020 22:10

@BonnieDundee

Since when does it need to be essential work? That's not a rule in this lockdown.

Scotland only allowing essential travel from England so it is a rule

They were working. The Scottish restrictions state:

Exceptions
The regulations prohibit travel without a reasonable excuse into or out of a Level 3 or 4 local authority area, or to or from other parts of the Common Travel Area. The regulations list a range of different things for which travel is permitted. Guidance on those is set out below. But please remember that it is important for everyone’s safety that we all minimise such travel as much as possible.

travel for work or an activity associated with seeking employment, or to provide voluntary or charitable services, but only where that cannot be done from your home

meow1989 · 09/12/2020 22:18

The "its doesn't have to be essential" is a bit moot though - they could easily do zoom calls from home and the guidance is to "work" from home if you can .

Not a royal family fan which will colour my views but this is unnecessary, a waste of money, and putting staff at risk. What message are they sending by travelling from area to area?

Livingtothefull · 09/12/2020 22:25

There will always be those apologists for the RF who think that they can basically do no wrong even when they clearly flout the guidelines and put people at risk. When Dominic Cummings flouted them so many were outraged, but when William and Kate do the same thing that's OK?