Prince William wants cousin Zara Tindall to help weather royal staffing storm

[Postapocalypticcowgirl]

www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/prince-william-wants-cousin-zara-5304916

Obviously this is all rumour and speculation, but I thought it was interesting.

I can see all the reasons why William might want Zara involved in the future- although I know she's said in the past she's glad not to be a HRH or titled.

But if true, this suggests that Andrew's family are pretty much on the out when the Queen dies? Which is interesting?

Personally, I can't see this actually working out the way the article suggested, but it's interesting such articles are even being floated, I think?

I would much rather have Beatrice and Eugenie than the Tindalls who aren't even royal. And they shouldn't suffer because of their fathers behaviour.

He always has been bone idle (not a personal opinion but a matter of public record). My guess is that they're going to use this 'slimmed down monarchy' idea as a way of seeking commendation from the press, and hence the public. See he's already supposedly advocating for far fewer patronages 'so he can give more attention to the ones he has?' Ha!, right.

In reality it gives the perfect excuse to become more invisible and do even less than they do now. And coming from him that would come as no surprise.

What is the point of these people?

I think Zara & Mike would be demented to get involved, and Harry and Meghan are well out of it.

On the other hand, Beatrice & Eugenie might work, if they were up for the, well, WORK part of it, and it seems less unreasonable to ask it of them than Zara!

I bet Andrew will find himself even more sacked when Charles becomes king, and if he is permanently invisible, it would only take a good PR agency a couple of years to largely rehabilitate Beatrice & Eugenie from any association with their father (or reputations of laziness), and their husbands, especially Eugenie's, might be well up for active roles (because they'd neeed to be up for it too).

Beatrice's husband Edo might be keen - he's spent his whole life actively integrating himself with the upper echelons in this country, and maybe this is what he was aiming for.

Andrew and Sarah will officially reunite now probably too, now that Philip is dead, and maybe they'll also retire to America! Charles certainly won't welcome them as a working royal couple.

I think if Andrew has done his level best to ruin their (B&E) chances of contributing to the family the way he wanted to, but it's not unsalvageable. A steady drip of positive press for a couple of years through the relevant media mouthpieces (The Times, Daily Mail etc.) would do it.

But Charles would love it to be just Kate and William, I suspect, and it's his opinion that matters.

I love that the Women and Home report states that Anne worked for a ‘staggering’ 145 days in the year! Hardly a staggering number of days generally, although it is pretty good considering she’s 70

I agree, and considering Anne's rep for being "hardworking" it flags up just how little the rest do in real terms

Then again there's not actually a need for them to shake hands, cut ribbons and so on, except for the sake of PR and maybe pulling in a few people at charity appearances who may or may not be useful in future. They could perfectly well offer their names for the letterheads and otherwise stay largely out of sight, which would certainly solve the issue of there "not being enough to bear the load"

Andrew and Sarah will officially reunite now probably too, now that Philip is dead, and maybe they'll also retire to America!

Andrew return to America?

Maybe some time after hell freezes over.

I think that they have been allowed time to be with their kids whilst young-something neither HMQ or PC had.

I don't get why people think this ok. millions of parents work whilst having young families. if they don't they are called scroungers.
why should W&K be any different.

(Or the UK could get rid of the lot of them, confiscate the royal estates and leave them to their own devices, and not have to worry about what a large family of disfunctional, unqualified people who mostly seem to do very little, get up to in their spare time. But as that seems unlikely to happen in the next 10 years...)

Andrew return to America? Maybe some time after hell freezes over.

Lol - yes! Probably not the US, then.

(I don't think the FBI would lift a finger if he turned up there though. I think they can safely say "We would love to talk to him." when there is zero danger of that happening.)

I think the pp meant George would become and adult while Charles is on the throne. Not that he would be 18 when that happened.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

I love that the Women and Home report states that Anne worked for a ‘staggering’ 145 days in the year! Hardly a staggering number of days generally, although it is pretty good considering she’s 70

I agree, and considering Anne's rep for being "hardworking" it flags up just how little the rest do in real terms

Then again there's not actually a need for them to shake hands, cut ribbons and so on, except for the sake of PR and maybe pulling in a few people at charity appearances who may or may not be useful in future. They could perfectly well offer their names for the letterheads and otherwise stay largely out of sight, which would certainly solve the issue of there "not being enough to bear the load"

As one who spent years trying to persuade the press, local, national, ANY kind of press, to cover charitable events I can say that having a 'Royal' open a new building or whatever definitely helps. And then once that event is digitalised and googled, it goes on helping with fundraising and profile-raising for hospices, hospitals, playgrounds, etc.

I don't get why people think this ok. millions of parents work whilst having young families. if they don't they are called scroungers.
why should W&K be any different.

Because they are lucky enough to have the choice. From the Queen's pov, she had a happy time with Philip in Malta, living the closest thing to an ordinary life she was ever going to experience. And then her father's illness and death took over and she was launched into the hot seat, with no prospect of retirement. I think if your son or grandson were in William's shoes, and you knew that his workload, pressure and visibility were only going to increase throughout his life, you would want him to take advantage of having the Queen and Charles around and raise his young children before increasing his portfolio. Once he steps up, there is no stepping back under the current model.

It's not like the normal working life the rest of us face. I have no time for the concept of monarchy, but given the family find themselves in their position I absolutely see the sense in William sort of having his retirement now.

We definitely believe you've had dinners with the Royals and they told you about Williams affair and Kate being jealous. Sure petal.

The two things are separate. You're conflating what I said, not that I give two hoots :)

Affair - tick. Jealous mean girl - tick.

The dinner I'm thinking of consisted of talk entirely about horse riding and was absolutely ghastly.

But it pre-dated the William- Rose thing and Meghan by some way. Anyhow, not much goss from that source (possibly racing tips but I didn't listen).

I think it's a bit unrealistic to look at 2020 as a benchmark of royal workloads - most of their duties would have been curtailed due to Covid. e.g. in 2019 William made a total of 6 overseas trips on official engagements and 9 in 2018, none of which would have been possible in 2020. Think how many non-overseas engagements must have been cancelled?

Oh come on! It's A Janet Hughes special, isn't it? I haven't looked but I would bet my house she wrote it! Seriously if that woman didn't write the article I'd be more than surprised!

That kind of bollocks is what they call Getting the biggest stories from across Gloucestershire straight to your inbox and is either news recycled from Hull or Devon or any other area with as associated 'local digital news source', or entirely made up, based on a dream Janet may have had once! She covered an event here a few years agao and her article bore no resemblance to what had happened or been said. Some of us made a formal complaint about having been quoted as saying things we definitely hadn't - apparently that was to get the feel of the day and was totally acceptable!

@Viviennemary not sure what you have against the Tindalls. I've met him a fair few times through rugby and work, he's a typical rugby player, still works in grass roots rugby and is perfectly normal, as far as I can see.

I also know Zara a little, mainly from her competeing at a local horse trial, using the arena, etc. She too seemed fairly normal, pleasant and hard working. Much the same as every other person involved in equine eventing.

The only negativity I've heard about them locally is based on envy, her inherited money, the whole anti royal vibe. People who have met them seem to think differently - or the ones I know do!

I think there is also whether orgznisations will want a non titled person as their patron. Mr and Mrs Tindall doesnt have the same ring as Prince/ss, Duke & Duchess etc.

@goodbyestranger

The dinner I'm thinking of consisted of talk entirely about horse riding and was absolutely ghastly.

Do you mean you were a round peg in a square hole?

I think that (W&K) have been allowed time to be with their kids whilst young-something neither HMQ or PC had

I agree that we plebs have to just get on with working, but it's always seemed to me that W&K will be given absolutely anything just so long as they stay married and don't frighten the horses - hence the extreme care in curating their image

Let's face it, with the marital record of the RF in general they need to have at least one high profile pair who make it, especially when they're directly in line to the throne

I think the Royals need the charities more than vice versa. If they didn't do charity work, one would be asking why we pay an estimated £350mn pa for one family to live in idle opulence.
If the Royals are slimmed down, as per Charles' wish, does that mean that costs will reduce? Or will it just mean that fewer Royals get more?

I was always fairly ambiguous about the Royals until I read 'And what do you do?' Since then, I'm more of a republican 😁

Totally agree with all that, Forestiere, but on the PP's subject of the RF having more pulling power than someone without a title, here's a thought ... how about if some of the charities approached other "celebs" instead?

Whether they'd want to do it is something else, but while crowds wouldn't turn up to see some dreary mayor, they just might if it was a famous actor, footballer or whatever

I think there's a lot of truth in that @Puzzledandpissedoff, I often think they RF should be bowing before Kate if they have any sense. Whether you approve of her role or not (and I don't particularly), she fulfills it so perfectly they should be thanking their lucky stars for the day William met her.

Princess Anne is patron of the charity I work for. Personally I feel a suitable celebrity would be better, someone like Joan Bakewell or Selina Scott. The problem with having a royal patron is that everytime they come to see you in an official capacity an enormous amount of time is taken with the arrangements and the security on the day disrupts your usual business. Of course the royal comes with an entourage of Lord Lieutenant, Lady in waiting etc. and you have to make polite and suitable conversation too. If I mention to our customers our royal patronage I generally get an earful about how the royal family should be done away with, so I can't perceive any real benefit.
Now, if Marcus Rashford was our patron (unlikely given what we do) it would drum up a bit of interest in our activities.

They have very full days, going to different places in the country, eg one visit in the morning, somewhere else lunch time, another place in the afternoon. Evenings too. I certainly couldn't cope with all that travelling, I'd be worn out in five minutes!

Anyone'd think they were sat waiting for the one bus an hour or the train after the one that got cancelled in the back of beyond rather than being chauffered to the next ribbon cutting in a top range motor with all the research that makes up the small talk done for them

Definitely not in favour of any more royals getting tickets on the gravy train especially the venal Zara and Peter.

I suppose the issue with charities asking other celebs is that the celebs would want to be paid for doing it, which the charities can’t afford. Celebs can’t always give up time to charities free whereas the Royals can as they’re paid from the public purse for doing just that.