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Original poster

Duke & Duchess Of Cambridge tour … is it just me?

334 replies

PodgePie · 23/03/2022 21:25

I am a huge royalist (obviously not Andrew but definitely William and Kate). However, I am struggling with their current tour, in a time of war, of crippling price rises and also Covid, it seems tasteless to be parading around in the sunshine in a stream of hugely expensive outfits, each one more luxurious than the next. I understand why international tours take place - and agree they have an important role - but shouldn’t this have been postponed given the climate?

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DaffTheDoggo · 23/03/2022 21:57

It’s made me feel that the age of royal tours is over- it all seems dated and tone deaf, to put it mildly.

I think the Cambridges are very good at what they do- it’s just it’s something from another era. All a bit embarrassing and patronising.

Original poster
PodgePie · 23/03/2022 21:58

@phoenixrosehere

It’s odd and I don’t think it’s going to help the Royal Family’s image, actually think it’s going to be the opposite. Will say I find the DM hilarious and sad in its headline about Kate stunning the crowd because she wore yellow while other publications are talking about the protests going on.
Completely agree. There is so much resistance & awkwardness going on and yet the DM are SO FOCUSED ON THE CLOTHES
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Katya213 · 23/03/2022 22:00

@VikingVolva

Those that want to leave only have to say so, and the handover date will be set.

Jamaica has been saying that its departure is imminent for a decade, but has not yet actually started the process. If they really want to go, then they need to turn words into actions

Let China put a stamp on them once they leave the commonwealth. That’s exactly what they’ve done in Barbados and they won’t be able to leave China’s clutches so easily.
LadyShatterly · 23/03/2022 22:01

It’s fine for commonwealth countries to remove the Queen as head of state, Jamaica is far from the first. If they want to leave the Commonwealth too, that’s up to them but so far I haven’t read anything about that. It’s a jubilee year, the Queen can hardly walk so W&K have been sent instead. What help does it give Ukraine if W&K stay at home?

Wartywart · 23/03/2022 22:01

Royal tours can do a lot for tourism, to look on the positive side. Belize certainly looks fabulous with the Mayan ruins etc.

Original poster
PodgePie · 23/03/2022 22:01

@Boxowine

All the more reason to show face to the far away places of the Commonwealth. To show them that they are not out of sight or out of mind. Personally, I think it’s time for all of these countries to switch to having their own heads of state, but that is also THEIR CHOICE. No one is making them stay anymore but the truth is that there are advantages to belonging.
It doesn’t feel that this visit is particularly welcome - it all feels rather awkward and forced. But that aside, when people’s energy bills are doubling I think it’s tacky for the Duchess of Cambridge to be wearing such expensive clothing.
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IcedPurple · 23/03/2022 22:02

Let China put a stamp on them once they leave the commonwealth. That’s exactly what they’ve done in Barbados and they won’t be able to leave China’s clutches so easily.

Barbados has not left the Commonwealth.

Original poster
PodgePie · 23/03/2022 22:03

@LadyShatterly

It’s fine for commonwealth countries to remove the Queen as head of state, Jamaica is far from the first. If they want to leave the Commonwealth too, that’s up to them but so far I haven’t read anything about that. It’s a jubilee year, the Queen can hardly walk so W&K have been sent instead. What help does it give Ukraine if W&K stay at home?
The money spent on the trip could have been donated to the Ukrainian campaign for one thing.
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Original poster
PodgePie · 23/03/2022 22:04

@Wartywart

Royal tours can do a lot for tourism, to look on the positive side. Belize certainly looks fabulous with the Mayan ruins etc.
I love this positivity - it looked absolutely magnificent, you’re quite right
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SickAndTiredAgain · 23/03/2022 22:04

@SmellyOldOwls

At least we are left in no doubt about whether the commonwealth countries still want to be ruled by the royals. Unsurprisingly, it seems they do not.
Why don’t they just get rid of the queen then? For example Jamaica, I believe prime ministers there have been saying for years that they want to, and polling suggests so do the majority of Jamaicans. I don’t really get why they haven’t done it. The UK isn’t going to say no, there’s not going to be a war for independence. If you have political and public desire for it, why not?
MoggyP · 23/03/2022 22:07

"in a time of war"

That's the whole of HJ's reign then - do people really think that she - as head of state, or her formal representatives a should never visit?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_1945–1989
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_1990–2002
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_2003–present

Joystir59 · 23/03/2022 22:09

@AgathaMystery

I think they had to get out on the stump and campaign for the family Firm.

Let’s face it, the Queen is on her last legs, Charles has the charisma of a flannel & by the time William gets on the throne there won’t be an empire to rule over.

I hope.

They are desperately scrabbling around for islands to rule. I don’t think rocking up to wave at folk once a decade cuts it any more.

Charlee has the charisma of a flannel Grin Grin
Katya213 · 23/03/2022 22:10

@IcedPurple

Let China put a stamp on them once they leave the commonwealth. That’s exactly what they’ve done in Barbados and they won’t be able to leave China’s clutches so easily.

Barbados has not left the Commonwealth.

Okay, removed the queen and became a republic now practically owned by China but smart enough to remain in the commonwealth.
LadyShatterly · 23/03/2022 22:10

Saying to the Jamaicans “hi, we’re your RF for now, but there’s a conflict a bit nearer so please cancel all those things you planned for us, we would like to virtue signal and not bother with you” is not a good Platinum Jubilee message. Quite rude to their hosts even! Some Jamaicans may even have quite enjoyed getting a look at them.

cakeorwine · 23/03/2022 22:11

Russia invading a country and destroying it.
Covid still present
Cost of living going up massively.

Meanwhile 'Here's the Royal Family to look at'....just like a shiny bauble for people to stare at.

Just an irrelevant distraction.

(Not a fan of a Monarchy at all in case you hadn't noticed)

ArtVandalay · 23/03/2022 22:11

If it's meant to make people warm to them, it's having the opposite effect.

It's ill-judged and just reinforces that the RF are an anachronism.

IcedPurple · 23/03/2022 22:12

The money spent on the trip could have been donated to the Ukrainian campaign for one thing.

Contrary to what some here seem to think, wars and humanitarian disasters didn't just start 4 weeks ago.

Aside from the fact that the costs of this tour will have been borne by several different states, thus making any 'donation' rather complicated, why is 'the Ukrainian campaign' (whatever it is) so exceptionally deserving? We didn't expect the world to grind to a halt during the very long and destructive wars in the Congo and other parts of Africa, did we?

BeforeGodAndAllTheFish · 23/03/2022 22:13

@VikingVolva

Those that want to leave only have to say so, and the handover date will be set.

Jamaica has been saying that its departure is imminent for a decade, but has not yet actually started the process. If they really want to go, then they need to turn words into actions

I think they're waiting for the Queen to die.
Boxowine · 23/03/2022 22:14

@Podgepie this isn’t exactly the first time members of the RF have gone on progress to visit member nations of the Commonwealth, or do you not quite consider the Caribbean nations to be on an equal footing with, say, Canada or Australia?

Their visit has a slightly anachronistic feel about it but until any of these countries decide to go they have as much reason to be visited as Liverpool does.

I don’t think that her wardrobe is any more expensive than any thing else she has ever worn, she looked amazing when she visited the US years ago. Why should she dress down for Belize and Jamaica, do they only rate dowdy old gardening clothes? Can you imagine putting together a state visit at a community center and how the kids would feel if she wandered in wearing a ratty old shirt and jogging pants? It would be offensive, like they weren’t worth dressing up for.

Blossomtoes · 23/03/2022 22:14

This tour has been planned for months. Imagine the criticism if they’d cancelled. Increasingly the royal family can do no right, whatever they do is criticised.

Original poster
PodgePie · 23/03/2022 22:14

[quote MoggyP]"in a time of war"

That's the whole of HJ's reign then - do people really think that she - as head of state, or her formal representatives a should never visit?

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_1945–1989
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_1990–2002
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars:_2003–present[/quote]
I assume HJ is her HM?

Nice long list of wars there. As this particular war is on European soil (and as I said has a personal connection to me - hence my post) this does feel more ill timed. I don’t have any statistics on royal tours during previous wars in Eastern Europe though? That aside, the war isn’t the only issue here - fuel prices have DOUBLED & Kate has swanned about in nearly £10k worth of clothing already (jewels aside). That’s not even mentioning rising food costs & the genuine stresses real people are facing to our food on the table.

We’re not looking at a problem faced by the monarchy in the past - this is a very real, complex & time specific issue.

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IcedPurple · 23/03/2022 22:15

Okay, removed the queen and became a republic now practically owned by China but smart enough to remain in the commonwealth.

How did removing the queen make Barbados 'practically owned by China'? She had only symbolic power as head of state. I don't think Justin Trudeau or Scott Morrison wait for HM's approval before making decisions, do they?

Billionneeded · 23/03/2022 22:16

The money spent on the trip could have been donated to the Ukrainian campaign for one thing.

I believe the RF donated very generously to the 'campaign' as well as the trip.

She has got lovely hair

TokyoSushi · 23/03/2022 22:16

I usually like a Royal tour, but this one does feel outdated and a bit off.

Thoosa · 23/03/2022 22:17

As PPs have said, there is almost always a war going on.

My ick about this is more connected with the centralisation of royalty within the Commonwealth. Of the Commonwealth is going to continue, it really needs restructuring to make it less of a monarchy fan club.

As it is, K&M have rocked up, performed all the usual set pieces, smiled, danced, nodded etc, and then called on the Jamaican PM just to be given a little talk about the plans to ditch the monarch as head of state. Which is a completely fair enough plan for Jamaica to have as a sovereign state, but in that case, what’s the whole thing been for?

We need to move out of the 1950s.