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.

Not feeling sorry for Kate. To put it in perspective, her 3 children will go to Oxbridge or St Andrews whatever grades they get. Meanwhile over on the higher education board there are kids with 4 A* who haven't got into Oxbridge after years of work. In what universe is this fair?

Yes Bezos blah blah but I am not paying taxes for Bezos.

Although, you wouldn't be retiring. Whatever you might think of the RF, the Queen was working right till the end. She must have been feeling pretty ill when she got up and smiled for the cameras to ratify the change of prime ministers.

All mothers worry about their children in one way or another. Her children's futures are assured. They're all set up for life financially. They might not be able to become train drivers but then our kids won't be able to become kings or queen's. Her worries are small compared to the rest of us.

I mean, they're babied every step of the way. 'Work' is travelling in luxury, everything pre planned, to cut a ribbon or shake hands and show a few minutes of interest in something, before going back home to a palace.

I'm not saying there aren't unique challenges that come with being in his position but he can choose not to do this. He can abdicate. The images of him being short and snappy with staff over pens made me feel sick to my stomach. I know what it's like to lose a parent in horrible circumstances and it didn't change my fundamental ability to treat others some decency, even in the immediate aftermath.

I just can't do it, I can't feel sorry for this incredibly wealthy, privileged man who was lucky enough to have his mother until his seventies. I reserve my empathy for people who lose parents young, who are working into their sixties cleaning train station toilets cos they can't afford to retire, who are working seventy hour weeks doing back breaking or mind numbing work with no end in sight to support themselves and their families.

I'm not usually one for selective empathy as I don't like the pain olympics and I can often see the struggle in most situations but come on.

Even if he does retire/abdicate, he will still have a very privileged lifestyle. So why not?

Could it be a desire for power, control, status?

Whatever he does will never be enough in many people's eyes so he cannot win.

I also get the feeling that the penny has dropped with Camilla. Her lifestyle will change dramatically now. I suspect she feels a little awkward in formal situations which will become far more frequent now. Being the Prince of Wales' wife is very different to being Queen (consort).

I wouldn't swop lives with them for anything quite frankly. I'd rather live my life my way. No money would compensate me for a life like that.

I agree their children's futures are assured. They are very lucky. Kate will know her children will never have to worry about money. They will always have homes to live in. They will always have access to the best possible healthcare. They will go to excellent schools. They will be provided with security. They may well be able to have jobs... William and Harry have both worked. They also get to do jobs they are passionate about rather than taking any old job because they need money.

I'm sure there are aspects of their life which are not perfect but that's the case for everyone on this planet. They should consider themselves very lucky that the British public tolerate them at all, considering their past behaviours . As it is the gullible British public are tripping over themselves with gratitude and pity.

If I was the queen I would have retired years ago and allow my son to take over. Seeing your son go into his 70s and still waiting seems cruel to me. I suppose it just goes to show how the monarchs "work load" isn't hard work at all. If it was hard there's no way she'd have carried on. All the work is done by others.

He should be thankful, that's how he should feel. The man has over 150 servants tending to his every single need. He has the choice of umpteen castles and palaces. He doesn't have a single worry about money .... If it all gets too much he can hand over to his son. There's so many people in the world living desperate lives, Charles is not one of them.

I beg to differ. My Mum lost her parents within a year of each other and she was utterly bereft. No matter what age I am when I lose my parents I’ll be devastated, even if they have made it to their 90s.

If I was the queen I would have retired years ago and allow my son to take over. Seeing your son go into his 70s and still waiting seems cruel to me. I suppose it just goes to show how the monarchs "work load" isn't hard work at all. If it was hard there's no way she'd have carried on. All the work is done by others

Yes - all her choice. In a normal job she'd not have be working to 96. Really shows it's not a job, just a privilege.

My mum died five years ago aged 93. She had dementia and zero quality of life it was a release for her and a relief for us. The real her was long gone. I appreciate the Queen’s circumstances were different.

I think you've absolutely nailed it about Camilla, I've seen one or two little videos with Charles throwing a tantrum and Camilla's reaction says a thousand words. I think for her, grim reality is now sinking in. Add into that the Diana effect and I have seen many online Forums where people are not happy about "Queen Camilla".

Lmao I don't think George will be desperate to be any of those things.

I'd rather live in palaces with tens of millions 😂

The thing is we all lose our parents...or at least we should do. The only other option is we die before them which is much worse as not the natural order of things. Considering his sons lost their mother whilst they were still children, I would hope Charles would realise how incredibly fortunate he has been to have his mother for so long.

I also get the feeling that the penny has dropped with Camilla. Her lifestyle will change dramatically now. I suspect she feels a little awkward in formal situations which will become far more frequent now. Being the Prince of Wales' wife is very different to being Queen (consort).

Why would it take so long to drop? She has always known Charles would be king one day, it can’t be a surprise to her.

The life can be hard if it's done right. Good research, a punishing schedule and having to be nice to everyone most of the time. It's not easy especially if you add on constant media scrutiny and often criticism. It's offset with amazing travel, meeting interesting people, seeing interesting things. Overall good and bad. Charles has trained for this for life. He will be fine

I suppose it's not particularly agreeable for him to start a new job knowing for a fact that he will never be as popular as his predecessor. But unlike most of us, he has had decades to pursue his own interests while enjoying a life of comfort and affluence. And if finally doing a bit of work proves too much for him, there is nothing preventing him from stepping down.

What's so hard about visiting places, saying a few words, cutting ribbons. No worries about deciding to buy food or putting heating on. No money, housing or any worries. He just throws a tantrum and things are sorted out for him. Pathetic

Charles, William and George can always abdicate.

If you can do it when you are 96 , it’s not work

Dry your tears

Exactly 🤣 he can't even work a pen, imagine him having to do an actual job!

I lost a parent at 22. It was hard, very painful, and the grief took a long time to work through.

But I was living in poverty which made it ten times worse.

Couldn't afford therapy. Couldn't afford any time off work. Couldn't afford to do nice things to cheer myself up.

Grief is grief but being wealthy and privileged certainly takes the edge off the worst of it.

When you lose your parents you'll cope, because you have to, you have no choice. People lose their parents every day, it's the natural order of things. It's painful but Charles is extremely fortunate he got to have his mother for almost his entire life. Many people aren't so lucky.

Absolutely. I mean, I was 22 when I lost mine and it was horrendous but I still feel extremely lucky I made it to adulthood before losing her, not everyone is that lucky. To be in your seventies with your mother is unbelievably fortunate. No doubt helped by the life of privilege, cushioned from stress, with the best healthcare money can buy.

There are many jobs that are pretty much impossible to do in your 90s. The fact that almost all monarchs manage it till they die suggests that its not the same level of work as say Nursing, or Cleaning. They aren't working down the mines.

Plus the queen paired back engagements as she got older, as Charles can and I'm sure will. They can actually slowly reduce their engagements and public presence. Obviously this would reduce their influence of course but its a choice they can take.

Yes they've got to be nice to people, but equally it's easy to be polite when most people are subservient to you and frightened of stepping out of line or "disrespecting you". And Charles wasn't exactly polite in the pen fiasco, I'm sure the royal family are very gogood having sharp words when they need to, but because they are the royal family a Sharp word is all they need

This ⬆️

Also imagine having someone to squeeze toothpaste on your toothbrush ready for you to use 🙄

Imagine not having to worry about being made redundant (unlike the palace staff)

Imagine being so rich but not having to pay inheritance tax

@LobeliaBaggins

Yes that was me 😂 apparently I can’t say the royals don’t really care about us because I don’t give my own (only) home to a homeless person. Me eating enough and having a home for my family is exactly the same as figureheads hoarding extravagant wealth while ‘their’ people struggle to live. No difference at all.