Eleventymillionth Sussex thread - something has occured to me.....

[SirChing]

Sorry, I know there are loads of Harry and Meghan threads, but I haven't seen my question discussed anywhere.

It's been on the news that Charles wants a slimmed down monarchy. Whether that's true or not, who the hell knows.

BUT if it is true, how would the Senior Totals have gone about getting rid of those close to those in the direct line of for the throne, without looking like arseholes?

So, on the basis of fuck all knowledge and with my tin foil hat firmly in place, could the Sussexes stepping back from being Senior Royals have been done with family consent? With them subsequently being thrown under the bus so that the Queen/Charles/William don't look responsible, and it looks like the Sussexes have had a strop instead?

I think it was Tom Bradby that said that it wasn't true that the Royal Family didn't know, and that they have known for a few months. Isn't he the guy who the Royals generally trust to interview them?

Prepared to be flamed. I just think the timing given the whole Prince Andrew clusterfuck is interesting. I wondered if the RF thought that they may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb while the family is in disarray anyway, and bin off the Sussexes whilst blaming them for it.

I think so @butterymuffin I think he’s a distant cousin or something - I got addicted to reading Wikipedia during the first series of the crown!

OP I think you raise a good point. Surely without Harry and family plus whatever Andrew was doing, Charles doesn’t actually have enough people doing royal stuff?

The Gloucesters and the Kents etc are all getting on a bit - maybe time to give the York girls more of a role, they seem like good sorts despite their embarrassing parents

Yes, it's the family name of the Earls of Harewood, and I think it's quite a big family. Not surprising one ended up as the Private Secretary.

I saw one commentary which suggested that HarMexit would have been handled without crisis had Sir Chris Geidt still been in situ. Is the role of the Private Secretary really that influential?

I'd quite like to see Bea & Eug stepping up!

Charles has already ruled out Bea & Eug being classed as full time senior royals. However he might be forced to change his tune with Andrew and Harry both out the picture.

If Harry, Meghan and Andrew are now out - that’s a lot fewer charities benefitting from patronages and that alone could justify more involvement from others. I have no idea how much the Wessexes do.

Charles has already ruled out Bea & Eug being classed as full time senior royals. However he might be forced to change his tune

Times change and all that. Once it was denied that Camilla could ever be Charles's queen. Clearly not a barrier to that anymore.

The Wessexs have picked up a lot of the work that Prince Philip, used to do inc DoE Award scheme. I do think Harry will retain the patronages of the charities that he is passionate about. Did PA have many that he did?

I actually think if the whole PA thing hadn't blown up he was getting read to re-marry Fergie we seemed to be seeing a lot off her. However that is completely besides the point.

According to this tweet from the Sun they essentially threatened to go public, so H&M went first.

The Sun and Mail have form for that sort of thing- give us an exclusive otherwise your mum will find out you have HIV or are gay via the front pages.

Becles I think it’s standard practice amongst newspapers to give the subject of a story the ‘right to reply’, or to be able to go on the record. Mostly people respond. It happens in all newspapers (even the reputable ones).

Aah, mostly they don’t respond typos, typos. Will go to bed. I take your point, mine was clumsy!

Did PA have many that he did?

Google says he had 230. Is that a small/medium /large number by current royal numbers?

Blackbear19
I don't believe A and S were going to remarry but the optics of the happy family working together despite the divorce was good PR while the Epstein scandal was simmering but then it all blew up with that astonishing car crash of an interview A gave to Emily Maitlis.

Who did the Queen's father have to support him?

His Wife
His mother Queen Mary
His siblings and their spouses - The Duke and Duchess of Kent, The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Mary

The Queen's cousins who are still working royals are in their mid 80's and late 70's. The slimming down would have happened naturally

15 years ago there was the Queen, Philip, Charles, Camilla, Andrew, Edward, Sophie, Anne, The Kents, The Gloucesters and Princess Alexandra. 8 main line full timers, 5 background workers with William and Harry doing part time/occasional engagements

In a few years there will be (or would have been) Charles, Camilla William, Kate, Harry, Meghan with Andrew, Edward, Sophie and Anne in the background.

Edward and Sophie being so much younger than Charles will be a big help to William and Kate now because they'll continue to carry all of the diplomatic other royal families work with weddings and the likes.