To be annoyed by the Duchess of Cambridge's claim that home schooling is 'exhausting'

[Livingtothefull]

www.edp24.co.uk/news/kate-middleton-video-call-parents-homeschooling-challenges-pandemic-7080128

I accept that lockdown has had an impact on everyone to some extent, however privileged. But I can't help being irritated by this. Even if we accept that she is doing the home schooling herself without any help, I don't think there is any comparison between her situation and that of many other people. I am not saying lockdown isn't difficult for her.....but it is a million times harder if you are say a single parent, struggling with home schooling and a minimum wage job which you may lose any time, worried sick about your and DC future if this happens. And doing it in a poky flat instead of a vast country estate.

And I know she may be trying to show empathy with the rest of us. But TBH I would have much more respect for the royals if they would just acknowledge their privilege rather than claim common ground which just isn't there.

@VinylDetective

Theyre not paying the level of tax that they should and as an abundantly rich family, they should not be taking money from the taxpayer

What level of tax do you think they should pay? They pay income tax, VAT, council tax - what else do you think they should pay?

It would be interesting trying to disentangle the Sovereign Grant from the Crown Estate, given that the taxpayer benefits from 75% of its income.

If you've pointed out companies such as Google and how such institutions arrange their taxes, then I can only assume you're being deliberately obtuse or naive about the Royal family and the reality (not the PR) of their tax affairs, which you can find out with a Internet search.

I also notice you've come back with no justification for why the taxpayer should be funding an undemocratic "royal" family of multimillionaires which none of us elected. If the concept of a "royal" family has to continue, then it can, but there's no reason whatsoever why the hard working tax payer should continue funding them, especially during the pandemic where there are so many worthier causes where this money can go to.

*I doubt very much that Prince Andrew knew about Epstein

Hahahahahahahaha*

Quite. Was coming on to say the same. Jaw dropping.

These royal bashing threads really do my head in.

You all genuinely believe that The Cambridges are sitting round drinking champagne whilst nannies and tutors deal with the kids 24/7?

They really, really don't!

Didn't see that suggestion anywhere Vampire.

@BuffetShark

I genuinely don’t understand those who truly believe these two go anywhere near ‘home schooling’ or ‘parenting’ for that matter.

Let’s face it, the only interaction they probably have with their dc is at meal times (maybe) and photo shoots.

Absolute rubbish.

I'm generally annoyed by the royals. They put out PR stories all the time and the BBC and general media eat them up. On the issue of privilege, I remember Prince Harry talking earlier this year, about how the privileged benefit from the current system, but amazingly from the way he was presenting his argument it was this other group and it didn't seem to include a literal millionaire prince.

i think Kate has always had a difficult line to tread - she's from a "normal"(ish) upper middle class background, and probably still considers herself normal and grounded. But she is immensely wealthy and privileged, and therefore her experience of life is removed from normal upper middle class people (and even further removed from the less wealthy and a different planet to the poorest in society).

I do find parts of her life have failed to keep that in mind - whether it's the press (probably) or her own media advisors (maybe partly) but the "i'm so normal" really does jar. I remember seeing a picture of this "normal" middle class girl coming out of a nightclub at 2am, and realising that at the precise moment she'd been doing that, I'd been on my way home from a 20 hour day at work. And similarly, complaining of exhaustion when you've got as much support as she has, doesn't land well.

I'm sure she is lovely and I'd never question her parenting ability, but there is a big thing about reading the room. If I was her PR advisor, i'd be telling her that she needs to qualify the "I'm exhausted" with a phrase like "even though I've got so much support, I'm still finding it emotionally exhausting, but I know how lucky i am, so fuck knows how a woman with no support and f/t job is coping".

It's the same when I find myself struggling at the moment. I have to be really careful to whom I whinge, because I know that I am very fortunate to have a DH who can share the home-school load and access to enough money to buy a second device so the DC don't have to share, and a decent garden. I'd never complain about my lot to a single parent or someone struggling financially.

Anyone who believes Kate was genuinely 'exhausted' needs their head examined. Don't be distracted by attempts to move focus off royal privilege by posters insisting Kate is doing the home schooling in between the washing and cooking .
Just remember two things :
They are funded by the tax payer
They are above the law

Anyone who believes Kate was genuinely 'exhausted' needs their head examined. Don't be distracted by attempts to move focus off royal privilege by posters insisting Kate is doing the home schooling in between the washing and cooking .
Just remember two things :
They are funded by the tax payer
They are above the law

Correct

If you've pointed out companies such as Google and how such institutions arrange their taxes, then I can only assume you're being deliberately obtuse or naive about the Royal family and the reality (not the PR) of their tax affairs, which you can find out with a Internet search

You’re the one asserting their non payment of tax, you do the google search and post the link. I pointed out the taxes they pay and invited you to tell me which taxes you’d like them to pay that they don’t. You haven’t bothered to respond.

I also notice you've come back with no justification for why the taxpayer should be funding an undemocratic "royal" family of multimillionaires which none of us elected. If the concept of a "royal" family has to continue, then it can, but there's no reason whatsoever why the hard working tax payer should continue funding them, especially during the pandemic where there are so many worthier causes where this money can go to.

If you knew anything about the Sovereign Grant you’d know the monarchy is paid 25% of the income from the Crown Estate income (the equivalent of less than £2 a year per head of population) while the tax payer gets the rest. How far do you think that £83 million would go?

Sigh.
Vinyl are you stating that the sovereign grant is the only cost that the royal family represent ?
Security is billed separately ,
Royal visits are billed separately .
The income from the duchy of Lancaster and price Charles's estate goes directly into their pockets .
So not a cost of 85 million as you suggest .
Much more

I doubt very much that Prince Andrew knew about Epstein
The lengths you go to effusively slavishly defend PA are utterly risible
You have Lost any scrap of credibility you had remaining frantically defending the indefensible

@LizFlowers read carefully, if you don’t beliveperuse the internet
Prince Andrew visited Epstein after his release from prison The Duke of York has been heavily criticised for visiting Epstein after he was released in prison for soliciting a minor for prostitution.

In a statement the Duke said: “I have said previously that it was a mistake and an error to see him after his release in 2010 and I can only reiterate my regret that I was mistaken to think that what I thought I knew of him was evidently not the real person, given what we now know. I have tremendous sympathy for all those affected by his actions and behaviour.“ ⬅️ Prince Andrew visited his Epstein at his home (a man who solicited a minor for prostitution)

@LizFlowers. It’s public record what Epstein was convicted of. Your statement I doubt very much that Prince Andrew knew about Epstein simply doesn’t stack up.

Ah really this thread is hilarious...

Andrew didn't know perfectly well what his scummy chum Epstein was up to.....🤣🤣🤣🤣🙄

Andrew has utterly disgraced the RF, particularly the Queen.

Utterly embarrassing.

I really hope the embarrassment continues.

Andrew is the utter dregs.

How did we go from Exhausted Kate to Randy Andy?

Whilst effusing what jolly sorts the RF the poster had some tangential thinking and stumbled into saying duke of York didn’t know what Epstein was up to

@Smncandles

Sigh. Vinyl are you stating that the sovereign grant is the only cost that the royal family represent ? Security is billed separately , Royal visits are billed separately . The income from the duchy of Lancaster and price Charles's estate goes directly into their pockets . So not a cost of 85 million as you suggest . Much more

@Smncandles exactly why I was saying that vinyl poster is being deliberately obtuse.

@Smncandles

Sigh. Vinyl are you stating that the sovereign grant is the only cost that the royal family represent ? Security is billed separately , Royal visits are billed separately . The income from the duchy of Lancaster and price Charles's estate goes directly into their pockets . So not a cost of 85 million as you suggest . Much more

The income from the Duchies isn’t taxpayers’ money. The discussion was about the cost to the taxpayer.

The figure you gave was wrong . You need to correct it

Either deliberately obtuse or perhaps connected to the Royal family PR. They have an active PR machine that needs to keep peddling these obfuscations and untruths to reduce the number of people questioning the royal family leeching public funds.

Even if it was "only(!)" £83 million per year (which it very much isn't), if it was used to better the life of even a single child growing up in poverty in the UK, it would be infinitely better spent (and it could help much more than that!). There's literally no shortage of projects that money could be used for. For someone to say that millions of pounds public taxpayer money is better spent on an unelected megarich family is sickening.

@Smncandles

The figure you gave was wrong . You need to correct it

The figure I quoted is correct. It is the amount of the Sovereign Grant. If you wish to provide evidence of an alternative figure, feel free.

And while you are correcting it , you might ponder why , with the hundreds is millions from the 'Duchys' that they own . they need to take an additional grant from the tax payer , and also put their hands out to have their security paid for , travel expenses etc

Vinyl,

I will be as clear as I can with you.
The 'royals' cost much more than 85 million each year .
Yes or no

The cost to the taxpayer is £83 million this year.

So again you haven't answered directly

And what you are saying is wrong .
You have to include security , travel , the costs to local councils etc.