Can't help thinking King Charles is selfish

[Eieiom]

Standing back, looking at the Harry situation, I can't help thinking that Charles is the root of all the family toxicity.

He had an affair while married to Diana, which led to their divorce and much unhappiness on her side. After her early death, his children were obviously in a lot of pain. The remote parenting style of the RF probably did little to soften this.
He's managed to marry his affair partner and now he's cutting off one of his sons.
Harry just looks like a really hurt person acting out to me. In most families, they would just be tolerated and forgiven.
I think the RF look very cold.

The monarchy - and all the pomp and pomposity that goes with it - underpins and legitimises the grotesque inequalities in our country. I agree that it makes us a laughing stock, I don't think many people realise how negatively it portrays us.

I don't necessarily blame the individuals born into the RF, but I do think that the monarchy represents so much of what is worst about our country; classism, worship of privilege, tolerance of gross inequality.

A symbol of national pride and unity? They can't even unite their own family.
No, getting rid of them won't make inequality go away automatically, but it might signal that we are actually serious about making things better.

I don’t think any other country laughs at our heritage. That certainly isn’t reflected in the upturn in tourism that coincides with our big state occasions or the global viewing figures.

The Daily Express reporting Harry was in tears when he found out William was getting the military honour Harry thought he should have. (Take with a pinch of salt maybe) Colonel in Chief of the Air Corps I think. I mean what does he expect. If you leave the firm, trash it and set up your own rival company you don't expect to be appointed a Director.

Because the message it sends out is that certain sections of society; royalty, those with titles, hereditary peers in the House of Lords, even though there aren’t many of those left, all of the elite members of society which form a large section of the establishment, somehow deserve veneration and respect above that which is accorded the ordinary man in the street.

Yes they are representing the UK, it is not the people themselves that are venerated, but nonetheless it sends the message that hereditary wealth and status is of more value than that attained by merit. And I think it js precisely this message which holds us back and is anachronistic in 2024.

Surely people can see that it is no longer fitting for the “high born” who have access to twelve large homes and estates, some of which are owned personally, to be visiting the underprivileged?

Imho it no longer sits well and is no longer appropriate or, for that matter, respectful to those people?

Well, if you insist...

I often sit pondering how I’d love to sit on so much wealth but things like this show money doesn’t always make a happy or stable life.

Exactly this! Let’s focus on what matters!

Decent public transport. Properly resourced hospitals and primary care. Civilised social care for the elderly and disabled. Well funded education. Well maintained parks and libraries and public lavatories. Things which make a nation or nations civilised.

Other EU countries can do it. Why can’t we?

I agree with KimberleyClark that it undermines our credibility when we put so much effort and care in to the ceremonies surrounding the succession, and so little focus on the needs of ordinary people.

I don’t think his physical affair with Camilla was consistent I think they kept in touch but it physically re-started some years after they all got married.

How is getting rid of the RF going to bring good public services?
It’s unfortunate you find them embarrassing. I find them a very British tradition that bring joy to people 🤷‍♀️

I think he thought “she will do, I’m getting on, the love of my life has hitched someone else and this young woman with vast knowledge of how The Firm works will do the job well”.

Many nations have heads of state that wear crowns, it’s a tradition as old as time personally I love it, it’s nice to retain and celebrate British culture.

Other EU countries can do it. Why can’t we?

Quite a few of those EU countries have monarchies. The reason the UK is currently in such a parlous state is because we keep on voting in Tory governments.

I agree.

Every other nation can celebrate their culture, their loud traditional clothing, their history but British people have to be embarrassed? Sod that!

No aristocratic single lady would have laughed at the Prince of Wales proposing to them 🙄 it’s what half of them would give an arm for.

I think Charles would agree with you and he’s making small changes as his reign goes by. Such as opening up Royal homes to the public. We tried to get tickets to Balmoral and make a trip of it but they were all sold out 😭 I fully anticipate a small and slow slimming down. H&M have put him in a tough position lying and moaning about titles so I wonder if he isn’t amending the Letters Patent for that very reason

But all of those can be achieved with all the pomp and pageantry if we kick out the party that his destroyed our once amazing nation. The Tories undermine our credibility not the RF

Same. I’ve lived in a number of countries snd IME the rest of the world get very excited about the RF and whenever they go to London they seek out BP, changing of the Guard etc

Perfectly put.

The root of the RF toxicity is the institution itself. I actually bear no animosity to any of them, including Charles. And I like Harry, and always have done. But they're essentially there through accidents of birth, forced into all the ridiculous traditional protocols and entrapments that brings. It's a gilded cage that represents a bygone millennia and all manner of wrongs. Charles was born for and spent his life essentially waiting for his mother to die, and is now too old and ill to 'enjoy' the honour. Time for change. Starting with a new Government, of course.

Most European countries’ monarchies are far more modest in scale than ours.

Yes, I'd agree with this. We were on holiday at the time of the Queen's funeral and so many locals wanted to talk to us about the queen and how sad they were that she had died. One bloke even pulled out his wallet to show us the ten pound note he had kept from visiting the UK, because of the portrait of the queen on it, saying he would keep it forever because she was the greatest queen!

More people seek out Versailles.

They still exist. Which kind of defeats the argument about inequality.

Loving all the coverage of Harry’s charity event today.

Not sure I agree with this. I've also lived in other countries and have family abroad to spend a lot of time overseas. I'd say that with the exception of Americans, no one seems particularly interested in our royal family. In fact, if ever the royals are mentioned their eyes seem to glaze over. It's not something they care about.
And yes, tourists may go and look at Buckingham Palace but that's just because it's one of the major sights of London. You go to London and you see Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square etc. If you're in Washington you'll probably look at The White House. It doesn't mean you're a fan of whoever the president is.

Yes Versailles is very popular. I don’t think it’s a reason to remove our monarchy.