Imagine getting the hardest job of your life aged 73 and having to do it till you die.

[MrsMarlowe]

Just watching the ‘highlights’ of the day (if you can call it that).
I’m not a monarchist. But I really feel for Charles. He looked much older than I’ve seen him look before, so sad (naturally) and utterly exhausted.

Most people are retired aged 73. Imagine being that age and only just getting started on your hardest job. And not being able to decline the role (without massive fallout) and having to do it till you die.

And think about what motivates the rest of us in our jobs: the prospect of increased reward, status, respect, and finally more downtime as we reach retirement to enjoy the fruits of our labour.
Obviously he has all the wealth, status etc already … but then where can any motivation come from? He just doesn’t have a choice - it’s duty. Talk about a gilded cage.

I felt quite emotional watching Charles, William and George in the wake of the coffin. Knowing that it will come to them one day. Knowing their destiny is already set, whether they like it or not. What a life, to be royal.

Rumour has it Charles and William wont reign for long - Harry will act as Regent for George.

Not really. They were born into wealth, and the duties are then expected of them because of it.

Might look on the outside like the Kardashians but it’s happened the opposite way round. The Kardashians did what they want and got money for it. The Royals are given the money upfront and then do what they’re told.

I always feel sorry for those people stuck with huge stately homes that have been in the family for generations that suck up every penny they have. Must be horrible knowing you can't even sell it and you're stuck there for life, plus they're impossible to heat.

I just keep looking at princess Charlotte and thinking what a likeable and charismatic queen she would make. She seems bossy with her brothers and feisty

Princess Charlotte is 7 years old and you see her for about 2 minutes at a time

WTF? William is only in his 40s.

I think it is hard with all the endless meetings, ceremonies, travel.
To always be on and wearing a mask every time you step outside.
Every move under the microscope.

Not a pleasant experience, especially at 70.

You see her for more than that if you follow the news. You get a feel for people even in those brief moments. I’m not saying im
wishing anything on her. Im not even a royalist. I’m saying that she seems similar to the queen in some ways

Imagine not having to do a job till 73 but still having lots of land/ houses/money/ servants. If he didn’t want to do it he could bow out.

I feel like Mr Pink with the world's smallest violin reading your post OP. Sorry.

I finally got round to watching I, Daniel Blake last night and was in tears throughout. Such a powerful film and brought back memories of my childhood. My sympathies go out to all those at the opposite end of the social hierarchy, who are vastly more abundant.

Charles is a member of the WEF and they're supposed to be working on the great reset. So far they seem to be doing sweet FA and widening the wealth divide.

@Kanaloa 'Feeling sympathy for' someone is just thinking and feeling 'that must be shit', we're not flagellating ourselves, setting ourselves on fire or doing anything that would warrant your pity or scorn.

At 73 I do not want to be taking a job that involves no actual pay increase and no end date, I also would not want to experience having to grieve my Mum on tv or having to deal with the resentment, contempt and scorn of sections of the entire population when other people are retiring.
Neither would you.

Not one of the Royal Family has enough power to abolish the monarchy and you would need a seriously dysfunctional mind to imagine you alone were important enough to try to abolish it.

They were born into it, that's their privilege and their albatross
. We are allowed to feel sympathy when they are burying their bloody Mother and dealing with grief in a way none of us will ever have to.

NO HE CAN'T.
Same as I can't bow out of my life and family and financial situation. Unless you think he should try a canoe accident and hiding under a bed for a few years?.

I understand people's thoughts that the royals have a life of privilege but can you really imagine having to live with the mount of scrutiny by the public and more so by the media?

Abolition of the monarchy - living under President Johnson and now President Truss. Is that what you really want.

It's certainly not a role I would want. The last ten days have been so punishing for Charles. His schedule has been insane and again the scrutiny he has been under. It's definitely not all hand shaking and ribbon cutting.

I guess you didn't lose a parent young?

I'll make a note of that,
Nostadamus seemed to be right about everything else; Brexit, Jimmy Savile, the success of Peppa Pig, the demise of the Flowerpot Men, the list goes on and on!

What ‘tragic things?’ The op was about how sorry the op feels for Charles having to ‘work’ now he is King of England. That’s not a tragedy. As ever he's not the King of England

Yes I feel so sorry for him, having to pick up that hammer and chip away at the coal face day in and day out just to put bread in the table for his family and keep a roof over their heads. Maybe he can pick up a bit of overtime if the kids need new shoes.

I watched him come out of the abbey yesterday putting on his hat and gloves. He wasn't just handed his gloves, he just stuck his hands out and someone put them on for him...

mondaytosunday it’s “ cue”

Please don’t tell me what I would and wouldn’t do. If you want to waste your sympathy on somebody who wouldn’t want it and wouldn’t return it if you needed it then have at it. Personally I’ll save my sympathy for those who need and deserve it, not for a man who has to shake people’s hands and sometimes go on TV in return for a life of extravagant luxury.

The reason these threads get so unpleasant is its not possible to have a rational exchange of views with people who have lost control of themselves in their sentiment and faux 'grief'. The emotional incontinence shown by some supporters of the monarchy on these threads precludes reasoned debate. Which is ironic given the example of woman they purport to admire so much.

He always has choices. Besides, he can farm a lot of the work out to royals lower down the pecking order.

Looked at another way - imagine never having to earn your living but just having an apprenticeship for 70 + years rewarded by having many palaces and mansions, endless servants, jobs for life for your children, cousins, aunts, uncles etc. Having spouses whose only role is to "support you". Being first in the queue for everything. Having the best education, best healthcare, free world class travel, the best tickets for every show and access to the taxpayers money to pay for your parents funerals, and children's weddings. All that despite having millions in the bank with your Will sealed after death so you don't have to declare your fortune!

Of course the royals have a choice! But why would they give up all that unearned privilege and status to work in hard or boring jobs to retirement age, take on mortgages, fight to get on the NHS list for surgery, to worry about energy costs, local crime, getting a police officer to respond to your burglary?

Don't kid yourself - they are not by any stretch of the imagination 'working'. Save your sympathy for so many people who are exhausted and stressed on a daily basis, who despite endless hours of work will never fulfil their dreams and may never live passed their 70's, never mind to 96.

There is a further royal week of mourning now the national mourning has ended - hopefully this will give Charles a chance to rest. I'm not a royalist but I feel sorry for him as a man who has lost his mum and had a very gruelling 10 days (regardless of being waited on etc. I think that amount of travel in a short time would be exhausting for a man of his age).

As for the job - he has had a lifetime of preparing for it, I think aside from the loss of his mum he is probably glad to have come to the throne before he is in his dotage.

Quite a stretch and a bit embarrassing that your lack of understanding of politics makes you think we’d have a President Johnson.

They both got to where they did via their Parliamentary parties and colleagues - who knows how things would pan out without a monarchy.

But hey we’ve got pomp and pageantry, just ignore the starving people. I am not suggesting they’re directly linked (although a monarchy is a manifestation of an incredibly elitist and inequitable society), but they are related.