The Royals jumping ship... part 2

[Wolfgirrl]

Shiny new thread now we have had some royal crumbs thrown our way.

Will William rejoin the air ambulance like he has been threatening to do? Or was it a bit of lip service in the hope we will all go away and leave him to enjoy his 5* lockdown experience?

Charles has pointlessly 'opened' a hospital via video link, praising the NHS whose rules he flouted by flying to his rural second home country estate, whilst experience coronavirus symptoms. Such a shame he just had to make an emergency dash out of London, being holed up in a Scottish manor surrounded by red squirrels and coniferous forest must be simply awful. I'm sure he would much prefer a 2 bedroom house with a courtyard garden, much cosier.

Harry and Megs have hopped over the pond and now live in LA. Being professionals in self isolation, I'm sure they will be just fine.

On the upside the Queen will be addressing the nation on Sunday, genuinely thrilled for my grandparents who will no doubt be watching with a glass of whisky and a silk cut.

Onto the next chapter...

I think Prince William will genuinely want to rejoin the air ambulance gig, he enjoyed it and was doing a good job. However he may not be able to, we'll have to wait and see.

They'll be the same as anyone else in that their life is strange at the moment, they can't see people or go anywhere. Kate is a keen gardener, also likes messing about with food and enjoys involving her children in those activities so that's something - but we don't know how long this is going to go on and it's worrying, especially for people with young children.

Prince Charles opening the hospital via video link may seem pretty pointless to us but probably not to the hospital staff. I worked for the NHS for years and a royal visit or involvement always engendered great excitement. The royals do value the NHS, they know how important it is for all of us and, let's face it, if any were involved in a motorway pile up they'd be taken straight to the nearest A&E for emergency treatment.

I'm quite looking forward to hearing the Queen on Sunday. A Silk Cut sounds like a good idea, pity I gave up smoking years ago :-).

Meghan and Harry may go a bit stir crazy, who knows? There are plenty of things they can do, though, in isolation, in preparation for their future. I don't suppose we'll hear too much about them for a while - for example, I can't see Princess Beatrice's wedding going ahead with guests arriving from all over the place and Meghan and Harry would have been there in normal circumstances.

Those are, I suppose, the principal royals. The others will presumably be carrying on as normal except for having to socially distance. The most fortunate ones are those who, like Princess Anne and both her adult children and grandchildren, live in the country with plenty of outdoor space.

We all wonder how and when this will end and to what sort of country we will emerge.

Rich or poor can do something useful for others without having to go out if we're self isolating.

@Lynda07

I think Prince William will genuinely want to rejoin the air ambulance gig, he enjoyed it and was doing a good job. However he may not be able to, we'll have to wait and see.

He quit after 2 years when it cost 200k to train him. So if he doesnt join, we will assume he cant? Not just that he cant be bothered?

They'll be the same as anyone else in that their life is strange at the moment, they can't see people or go anywhere. Kate is a keen gardener, also likes messing about with food and enjoys involving her children in those activities so that's something - but we don't know how long this is going to go on and it's worrying, especially for people with young children.

So glad she is enjoying her taxpayer funded stately home whilst we hole up in our flats. It makes it a lot easier watching our bored and frustrated children knowing she can frolick with her children on the tennis courts and in the pool. Can you please tell me, with all this time on her hands, why she cant volunteer? Yet 750000 people with real jobs and far less time/money can? As you put it, 'Rich or poor can do something useful for others without having to go out if we're self isolating.'

Prince Charles opening the hospital via video link may seem pretty pointless to us but probably not to the hospital staff. I worked for the NHS for years and a royal visit or involvement always engendered great excitement. The royals do value the NHS, they know how important it is for all of us and, let's face it, if any were involved in a motorway pile up they'd be taken straight to the nearest A&E for emergency treatment.

Well, it was pointless. Can you please tell me what purpose it serves? I've got no doubt people seem pleased when a royal pops up, a few are probably royalists but the majority will just be mildly intrigued. It's why people take selfies with celebrities they're not really fans of, it's just like 'Oooh theres a celebrity'. If they appreciate the NHS so much, why did Charles leg it to Scotland when the rules specifically said not to?

Was it Christmas 2018 when Elizabeth Windsor made her speech in an incredibly opulent room complete with a gold piano? What the fuck was that about?

Charles tootling off to rural Scotland, then using valuable resources in an area with few of them when he got ill is unforgiveable.

William joking about coronavirus was incredibly dimwitted. I'll believe he goes back to flying helicopters when I see it.

The Royals value the NHS??? Sure they do, why don't they stick their privileged hands into their exceedingly deep pockets and put something towards buying the very necessary equipment that is needed to save lives. Same goes for any exceedingly rich person sitting on a fortune. Of course not, that's down to the plebs and a recession or even depression and raising the taxes of ordinary folk.

EightNineTen Sat 04-Apr-20 15:38:44
Was it Christmas 2018 when Elizabeth Windsor made her speech in an incredibly opulent room complete with a gold piano? What the fuck was that about?
....
I fail to see the relevance of that. Are you jealous of her quiet opulent room and piano? Would you want one so much that you seeth at someone else having one?

Most don't and do not notice. Get over it.

Some are richer than us, that's life. At least the royals don't flaunt it.

They own the homes it's not taxpayer funded do Google things before you post makes you look less stupid

And they always bugger off to their second homes this time of year this time they left before lockdown and who says prince Charles was experiencing symptoms before he left? If that were the case he would have been tested before he left

And he has recovered better than the prime minister

And here he was school and rescue for four years civilian for two

They own the homes it's not taxpayer funded do Google things before you post makes you look less stupid

Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the Crown - aka the public.

And they always bugger off to their second homes this time of year this time they left before lockdown and who says prince Charles was experiencing symptoms before he left?

He did.

If that were the case he would have been tested before he left

See above.

And he has recovered better than the prime minister

So?

@Lynda07

You miss the point entirely.

Other rich people are not taxpayer funded.

Otherwise this thread would be about the Beckhams.

Otherwise this thread would be about the Beckhams

Exactly. There's a massive difference between people who've made something of themselves and people born into immense wealth and privilege that in addition to everything they already have are partially funded by ordinary people. They don't need to be, they've got vast wealth without that. It's greedy.

Ha at royal crumbs

They played snippets of HM previous addresses of which there were four on R4 today. Very interesting hearing the Diana one. It really did not sound sincerely meant. Didn’t date well.

I have no bad feelings towards the Queen whatsoever if I'm honest, she has done her duty over the years, hasn't caused any scandals etc.

However that doesnt mean the monarchy is justified.

I actually think the monarchy ending now would leave it on a 'high' with the queen's good name untarnished. Even the strongest royalists like you know who (wont tag them 😬) will find it harder and harder to defend them as time goes on, and it will ultimately end in huge scandal.

Prince William was trained to fly by the RAF. My husband, brother and nephew were trained to be submariners by the RN. Neither role can be carried out by just anyone, as not everyone is suited to life in HM Forces, and often people fail selection for pilot training or cannot deal with being at sea in submarines. The taxpayer funds that on behalf of the security and safety of us all.

Prince William did a valuable job as an SAR pilot. The government decided that SAR would be carried out by Bristow instead of the RAF, so effectively the job disappeared. You could have Prince William flying for the RAF; you couldn't have him fly for a private company, whereas the Air Ambulance is a charity.

Anmer Hall is owned by HM, and gifted or loaned to William.

If you look at history, we have tried not having a monarchy, and invited them back in the end post Cromwell. It works for us. I'd rather a monarchy than a President, which might entail someone like Blair. The Queen is a figurehead, and in reality has no political clout. You only have to look at places like the Philippines, Brazil and Venezuela to see what can go wrong if a President gets a whiff of power. You also can't say that could never happen, because who knows what can happen? Look where we are now.

I don’t usually comment on threads regarding the royal family. I think they are pointless people overall, if not abusers (Andrew).
I got quite after reading headlines that Prince Charles ‘opened’ a new hospital. I thought ‘well done! That is what we need to see from royals!’. And then I saw it was the one opened by military and NHS. Made me very upset because I think it should have been opened by someone from the families of doctors and nurses that have died so far. Yes, they must be in isolation. But it is not like Charles flew in to do it in person.
I am at a loss as to understand their purpose. I really don’t like this lot anymore. They have broken al the rules that the elected government announced for us plebs to follow. What a shame.

Prince William was trained to fly by the RAF. My husband, brother and nephew were trained to be submariners by the RN. Neither role can be carried out by just anyone, as not everyone is suited to life in HM Forces, and often people fail selection for pilot training or cannot deal with being at sea in submarines. The taxpayer funds that on behalf of the security and safety of us all.

All very admirable, but how does this relate to the thread?

Prince William did a valuable job as an SAR pilot. The government decided that SAR would be carried out by Bristow instead of the RAF, so effectively the job disappeared. You could have Prince William flying for the RAF; you couldn't have him fly for a private company, whereas the Air Ambulance is a charity.

I'm sorry I dont understand this either. Are you saying william is unable to return to his job for some reason?

Anmer Hall is owned by HM, and gifted or loaned to William.

I wasnt disputing the ownership of Anmer Hall.

If you look at history, we have tried not having a monarchy, and invited them back in the end post Cromwell. It works for us. I'd rather a monarchy than a President, which might entail someone like Blair. The Queen is a figurehead, and in reality has no political clout. You only have to look at places like the Philippines, Brazil and Venezuela to see what can go wrong if a President gets a whiff of power. You also can't say that could never happen, because who knows what can happen? Look where we are now.

It is very interesting that whenever we contemplate a President, royalists always jump on the worst possible examples they can think of. They never point to, say, Ireland or Switzerland. Why is that?

Much as I appreciate you taking the time to reply, your post is quite irrelevant to the thread as it doesnt broach the subject of how the royals have behaved at this time of crisis.

@Experimenopause

This whole tragedy has highlighted how much easier some have it in society, and not through the fruit of their own labours.

The people grafting in warehouses and supermarkets to keep the country from spiralling into anarchy are paying, through tax, for one family to live a life of unimaginable splendour. To me, this is indefensible no matter how you try and spin it.

Is anyone else watching the secrets of royal servants on channel 5 at the moment? Fascinating and appalling.

The people grafting in warehouses and supermarkets to keep the country from spiralling into anarchy are paying, through tax, for one family to live a life of unimaginable splendour. To me, this is indefensible no matter how you try and spin it.

I find this abhorent.

Me too. At the same time as believing these paid to people are above in some way.

Some are richer than us, that's life. At least the royals don't flaunt it.

Can you elaborate please?

@thegcatsmother A president in a parliamentary monarchy is usually little more than a figurehead in terms of power, very much like the queen. It's bizarre that you think it's riskier to have an elected head of state, someone who'd have to convince >50% of voters that they're fit for the job and is held accountable for their impact; than someone who got the position through the sheer lottery of birth, may not have any intellectual or moral capacity for the job and isn't held accountable to anyone at any point of their career.

That should've said parliamentary democracy of course, not parliamentary monarchy.

How nice that you appreciate my efforts...

You wrote: He quit after 2 years when it cost 200k to train him.

You don't seem like you are that daft, so, Prince William joined HM Forces, went through Sandhurst and Cranwell, and the taxpayer paid, just as they did for my family to be in HM Forces. He trained as a Search and Rescue Pilot, and flew with the RAF for about 4 years, having been in for longer, so did a return of service for the training.

The govt of the day decided to get rid of the Forces doing Search and Rescue and outsourced it to Bristow, so the role in the RAF for being an SAR pilot disappeared. This coincided with the need for William to take on more Royal duties so he left the Forces. RAF pilots could not fly for Bristow, as you can't work for a civvy company as well as being in HM Forces - that should be obvious.

He then went to work for the air ambulance, so he could combine royal duties, young kids and continue to work. After two years he needed to take on more royal duties, the kids were starting school, so they moved back to London.

The Queen has made sure that both her heirs are well away from the capital in Scotland and Norfolk, so if anything happens to her, there is at least one of them available to step in.

You said: Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are owned by the Crown - aka the public. You also said in reference to the Cambridges being at Anmer: 'So glad she is enjoying her taxpayer funded stately home whilst we hole up in our flats'. Therefore, you were disputing who owns Anmer.

The President of Switzerland is political; and I suspect that in our system, having a president would muddy the waters, especially if it were someone like Blair, who would not be content to to be wheeled out for ceremonial duties only.

I think that the Crown estate pays a shed load of tax. In 2018 the Crown Estate made £329.4 million (2018) 75% to HM Treasury 25% to The Monarch, so UK PLC doesn't suffer.

@thegcatsmother

He had to complete training between the air force and air ambulance charity as he didnt have a civilian licence. It was fast tracked for him.

Anmer Hall is taxpayer funded. The public paid over £4 million for it to be renovated. I didnt mention technical ownership.

Regarding the President; can you please explain why you keep bringing up Blair, and how it seems likely we will end up with a head of state similar to him? Bearing in mind the role is mainly ceremonial and Blair was PM.

The Crown Estate does not belong to the monarchy. Therefore 'they' pay no tax as such but receive benefit from it.

Hope that clears things up.

Frezia I am a great believer in 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. Our system may not be perfect, but it works. It doesn't just work for the UK, but the Commonwealth too. Would that work as well with a president as the Monarchy?

You only have to look at places like the Philippines, Brazil and Venezuela to see what can go wrong if a President gets a whiff of power

Why those particular countries though?
What's wrong with the presidencies of Germany, Ireland or Austria instead?

Promise I won't mention Trump

@thegcatsmother

How does it work?