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Original poster

Could this be the end of the Royal family?

839 replies

BeijingBikini · 30/03/2020 12:52

I don't mean if they die of the virus...

But there's nothing like a lockdown to really highlight inequality. I saw an article yesterday about Kate + William "isolating" at Anmer Hall, having done a photoshoot where they pretend to be on the telephone and writing ("working").

I think if people are going to have to spend months at home, in small flats with kids, still going out to work or trying to WFH, queueing for supermarkets with empty shelves......that could definitely breed some discontent. Or if people catch it and have to be treated in makeshift hospitals, not getting an ambulance until they're struggling to breathe, while the RF can be whisked away to a private hospital for treatment. I've already seen a lot of comments along the lines of "why don't they offer up their many palaces to be used as hospitals, rather than doing newspaper articles".

Opinions?

OP posts:
Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 17:55

@Mamamia456

@Greenpoppins didnt suggest the queen does a fitness video. Reductio ad absurdum.

Laiste · 02/04/2020 18:04

I really don't understand the horror at the idea of someone in the same (probably vast) room with the queen filming a statement from her. On something. Or one of her staff (who she is happy to still have cooking and cleaning for her) setting something up which she can then walk to, sit down in front of, and use the royal index finger to press 'start' on.

I'm sure she wont crumble away from the sheer lack of a full BBC camera team Hmm

Laiste · 02/04/2020 18:09

In fact, the queen delivering a few words to her nation while obviously having to peer down into a slight wonky lap top screen to do would impress most people 100 times more than the usual 'here i am sitting in front of my golden piano barely moving' type address.

Mamamia456 · 02/04/2020 18:30

Wolfgirrl - Oh I beg to differ, going by some of the other suggestions on this thread - the royals donning full hazmat suits and helping in hospitals, Kate batch cooking.....

I need to stay away from this thread for my own sanity.

Greenpoppins · 02/04/2020 18:33

@Wolfgirrl About the boldest accusation I've had made against me on Mumsnet! Haha! Thank you for clarifying on my behalf that I wasn't suggesting the queen do a daily exercise video!

To be honest I wouldn't expect a 92 year old to do much, but the rest of them could. The majority of my friends have young children who need supervision, school work to supervise with both parents working and no childcare. And then we see the royal family only looking after themselves.

Triglesoffy · 02/04/2020 18:34

I want Madge go do a zoo video with a ha dheld iphone

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 18:43

@Mamamia456 so a 40 year old mother of 3, in good health, with a large kitchen and no job, batch cooking for NHS workers is as ridiculous as the queen donning a lycra outfit and doing star jumps?

Mamamia456 · 02/04/2020 18:50

Wolfgirrl - That has made me laugh!

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 19:01

@mamamia456

Good Smile

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 19:07

To be honest I wouldn't expect a 92 year old to do much, but the rest of them could. The majority of my friends have young children who need supervision, school work to supervise with both parents working and no childcare. And then we see the royal family only looking after themselves.

Precisely. At no point on this thread has anyone suggested the queen do any more than a short recorded message for her supporters. Or Prince Charles either for that matter, our only suggestions relating to him have been donating money/food from the Duchy, etc. We are not imbeciles and we recognise they are too old to safely carry out any physical duties, despite my Republicanism they are still vulnerable people. However Wills and Kate are a different matter - young, fit, healthy, huge house and grounds, nannies, one with a very useful qualification that could really help - yet bar a useless clapping video and a few photos of a visit to a call centre, we get nothing. He is the future king and could win everyone over if he demonstrated unity and purpose, but he won't - because royalists will support him no matter what he does. Like I said before the royals could kick a dog in the face on camera and they would shriek 'But they support animal charities!!' Their PR directly contradicts their personal actions.

Exoffice · 02/04/2020 19:30

mama, why is it a ridiculous suggesting for an unemployed healthy and fit person who does have childcare at hand round the clock to do some frontline volunteering.

750k people signed up. why is it beneath Kate and Will? Seriously, why do you find it so incomprehensible?

Leighhalfpennysthigh · 02/04/2020 19:34

I just want to say I think you're an amazing and principled person

That wasn't what my mother said 🤣🤣

Leighhalfpennysthigh · 02/04/2020 19:41

'help disabled kids ride ponies, whatever

As someone who was "awarded" the OBE for something very similar and who has actually trained in helping disabled people take part in sport, that response is says everything we need to know about you. '

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 19:44

@Exoffice

Uncomfortably for the royalists here, there is no reason why they cant do it.

So they will respond with one of the following excuses:

  1. They've already 'helped' by posting useless videos online, etc, and if the going gets tough wheel out the number of views
  2. They'll say it's 'ridiculous' or a 'security nightmare' even though Wills was a pilot before with no trouble, and Kate can volunteer from her kitchen
  3. They'll stretch it to a ridiculous conclusion and then criticise it, such as inferring we said the queen should produce exercise videos
  4. They'll offer the feeblest of reasons, 'Maybe Kate cant cook' (so who is making the kids meals at the moment?)
LaurieMarlow · 02/04/2020 19:57

Why isn’t Kate doing something for children’s mental health? That’s her cause right?

Any number of things she could do, reading stories, fitness stuff, gardening tutorial. Why are celebs doing this kind of thing and she isn’t?

I think W&K are in danger of coming out of this really badly. The Queen is old and frail, Charles is sick, time for Wills to be picking up the slack, not holing himself up in his second home in the country and doing sweet FA.

LaurieMarlow · 02/04/2020 19:59

The Queen will not have done that, just a member of staff.

Yeah, as if that person didn’t have express permission. Ffs. Hmm

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 20:08

@lauriemarlow

I think any kind of 'tutorial' from her stately home would be tone deaf. I dont think people want to see the royals floating around their mansions at the moment. I think they want to see real effort, teamwork and the royals actually giving their money, time and resources - like to 750000 volunteers are doing. We dont need any useless online minimum-effort PR.

LaurieMarlow · 02/04/2020 20:19

We dont need any useless online minimum-effort PR.

I was trying to think of something to do for her ‘cause’ but you’re probably right. I would like to see them do something beyond thar awful posed photo.

And Wills needs to be leading right now. Not having the worlds best lockdown experience at the tax payers expense.

CathyorClaire · 02/04/2020 20:45

It's actually bizarre that Wills isn't doing anything. He's not been shy with PR opportunities before as when he helped with flooding a few years back to much hoopla.

The less he appears the more PR damage he does.

LaurieMarlow · 02/04/2020 20:48

It's actually bizarre that Wills isn't doing anything

I know right?

its such an obvious time for him to step up. Do they think people don’t notice or something?

Wolfgirrl · 02/04/2020 20:50

@lauriemarlow

Worlds best lockdown experience 😂😂 that made me laugh!

I agree re Wills leading - the royalists will pipe up with their usual excuse of 'but he isnt medically trained/will be overshadowing government advice' but I dont mean lead in anything medical. But heading up volunteering from the ground, e.g. co ordinating help for the homeless (which he is apparently so passionate about, regardless of the empty palaces in his family Hmm ). If he is as fantastic at charity projects as the royalists say he is, he should have extensive experience in project management, working with different agencies etc. However I strongly suspect 'being the face' of something is just a photo op and if so, he could go back to his role as an air ambulance pilot.

As for the overshadowing part, we are all sat in our homes all day hearing about nothing but coronavirus, it's not like we can be easily distracted by a few articles about the royals.

dairyfairies · 02/04/2020 20:50

well, he wishes he could fly the helicopter again. just as much I wish I could climb mount Everest. I cannot. I therefore shop for elderly/vulnerable people in my neighborhood.

I think this will come back to haunt them.

Original poster
BeijingBikini · 02/04/2020 20:55

Kate could definitely do some sort of Joe Wicks type thing, a baking class or story time for kids streamed every afternoon. The photos are helping no-one but their own brands.

OP posts:
Original poster
BeijingBikini · 02/04/2020 20:56

well, he wishes he could fly the helicopter again. just as much I wish I could climb mount Everest.

Lol!

It's a good point though...."I wish I could get in the helicopter, but I can't, so I'll sit at home doing fuck all"

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 02/04/2020 20:58

The photos are helping no-one but their own brands.

Tbh, they’re not even doing that. I think most people see them as the ruse they are.

I can’t believe people are reporting on them ‘making a phone call’ to NHS workers. What a pathetic gesture. I’m sure the workers in question would have preferred to have enjoyed their brief break in peace.