...so what exactly is "service and duty"?

[ServiceAndDuty]

After countless threads on the royal family, I feel nobody goes into full detail of what the royal family do apart from the same phrase "service and duty".

I genuinely would like to be enlightened on what this "service and duty" is, not including showing up to events and waving, watching tennis and rugby matches, opening places, having an expensive wedding sometimes etc.

I feel nobody has really answered in detail what it is.

I am open to being educated if I'm missing something.

The queen's "work and service" especially in her later years was something most able people of her age would have welcomed with open arms. Old people often feel bored and of no use to anyone anymore. That's why they always say try to keep the brain sharp as you get older with crosswords, jigsaws etc.

The queen was indulged and made to still feel important, she was very very fortunate. Yet we're still hearing how she worked right up to the end.. .. It can't be called work.

I don’t know, how many people of her age do you know who are up for three or four hours a day of reading parliamentary legislation and dictating and writing correspondence, plus managing several households of staff? My parents wouldn’t be, and they’re twenty five years younger and recently retired.

I can tell that those who think “social engagements” are enjoyable and not really work have never had to do a job like that. I sometimes have to be the host for dinners and events in my job (with staff doing all the organisation and work, so I don’t have to do any of that), and it’s still definitely not “jollies”. It’s a skill, and some people are naturally better at it than others, but even if you are, you have to work at it. It’s not remotely like attending a party for fun.

But that isn’t even the main work anyway. There is a lot of very dull admin, paperwork and constant meetings involved in being a head of state, which it would be frankly daft to suggest the average 96 year old would be doing for the lulz or to “keep the brain active”.

TarasHarp55
That just proves it isn't work though doesn't it. 96 year olds can't work.

You've not noticed Sir David Attenborough's new wildlife series on BBC then?

3rdOfHisNameBreakerOfPens
The fact that only one member of the family [the Queen] has a work ethic is appalling

That's not the impression I got from reading these:

A former top aide to King Charles III is opening up about the king's work ethic...“He's the hardest working person I've ever known. I mean that. He never stops, there isn't a day in the year he isn't working.”

King Charles’ work ethic has never been doubted, with those closest to him affirming that he “works like a Trojan,”

Before his accession as king, Charles III received numerous awards by various organizations around the world, mostly, for his contributions on the environment including organic farming, gardening, climate change, and architecture.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_received_by_Charles_III

I don’t know, how many people of her age do you know who are up for three or four hours a day of reading parliamentary legislation and dictating and writing correspondence, plus managing several households of staff? My parents wouldn’t be, and they’re twenty five years younger and recently retired.

I don’t think it works like that. She has people to draft replies to correspondence for her, all she does is sign them. And she had people to manage her households and staff for her.

I think it is exactly how it works. Did you not read the descriptions of how she did exactly that every day until very recently? There are filmed documentaries about it, too — unless you think they were all lying?

Meeting Liz Truss is the last thing I'd want to do with my last few days on earth.
I'm really not sure that much of what the queen did sounds like fun at all.
I've always been very grateful I'm not a royal.

Meeting Liz Truss is the last thing I'd want to do with my last few days on earth

I reckon she wanted to make sure that Johnson was really gone.

Those feeling sorry for the royal family because they wouldn't want to be royal should take comfort from the fact that its almost certain the royal family wouldn't want to be you.

To be fair, Harry probably would 😂

Only if you're a multi millionaire. He might have wanted to dispense with the royal lifestyle, but he was certainly complaining enough about losing the financial support.

Yes CC is a constant in journalistic life. I'm surprised more people on here don't know about this actually, given half the threads are started by journalists

I thought most of Harry's money was a legacy from Diana. His wife was a multi-millionaire in her own right before they married as well.
I believe his complaint was actually about the lack of security provision.

Working until the age of 96 being ‘duty’ and ‘service’ is questionable. It could be argued as her ‘choice’ in how she chose to interpret ‘duty and service’.

Reading a monarch’s obligations, they have a duty to apply wisdom to their service. Working until the age of 96 maybe admirable to some but was it wise for the role of Head of State?

There was a legitimate choice involved. The Queen had a choice to abdicate earlier and support her son in his role as King; this too would have have been admirable and a recognition of being human and having understandable imperfections (like everyone else).
Instead, she chose to carry on. I can understand the pressure of holding the title ‘Queen’ may have influenced a need to carry on no matter what, but was it wise?

Was it wise to work past the average retirement age in line with the general population? Or work past average peoples’ life expectancy (82 years)?

I would question if she did her duty in applying wisdom to her role and service.

We don’t know what the Queen actually thought about either Boris or Truss.

We do know that Truss publicly announced she thought the monarchy was ‘disgraceful’. It’s likely the Queen was aware too…

Clip emerges of teenage Liz Truss branding monarchy 'disgraceful' as new PM meets Queen

Liz Truss also publicly called for the abolishment of the monarchy.

Flashback: Truss calls for the monarchy’s abolition

People have such short memories…

If that’s the case, then what does it say about the new King’s sense of family duty? Did he sacrifice his desires for family duty?

Remember, he swore vows in a marriage ceremony to his wife Diana…

It is bizarre to some that the new Head of the Church of England is well known to have committed adultery (in direct conflict with one of the Ten Commandments). And that his Queen Consort got to her position through being the mistress of adultery. Makes a mockery out of the faith they’re supposed to be defending.

Then again, the Church of England was invented by King Henry VIII for the convenience of having a divorce and a son. Strategic. But is it ‘duty over desire’?

I was looking at the 'highlights' of the Oprah interview and it appears he did indeed complain about receiving no money from the RF and that all he had was what his mother left him.