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?

Well.... he only worked 70 days in 2019 (admittedly over 200 engagements so they must have been shoehorned into one day) so there is a lot of leeway for him to do more. And Kate.

Watched a programme yesterday on my5 I think about Andrew.

When he became DoY he was entitled to(?) £300,000 a year!!!

Supposedly when he & Fergie divorced she got nothing-or next to nothing.

Is this because he had nothing of his own?

Iirc, HMQ had Sunninghill built for them.

William at the very most in two of the months in the year, did 13 'working days'. A total of 103 working days in the whole year. What the heck is he doing the rest of the time

You may well ask - and about Kate too - but that's partly why I said they clearly get whatever they want just so long as they keep the show on the road

There's also the point that Charles may not fancy being overshadowed by the younger and more "glamorous", especially as he ages still more. As things stand W&K might well do tours for him when/if the time comes, but if they're seen too much the calls could easily start about "why couldn't we have just had them anyway?"

And with his widely reported sensitivity, to say nothing of the time he's waited for his turn, I don't imagine that would appeal

Yes, Sunninghill was built for him at a cost of £15million. Then it went to rack and ruin after the marriage broke up. And it was sold by Andrew for £3M over its worth to the billionaire son in law of the President of Kazaksthan in a very dodgy deal. The new owner demolished it.

It's a nonsense article - for starters all the grandkids spouses were invited including those married recently. William and Zara are known to be close so reaching out to her makes sense but I think it's pure speculation. Whether they would accept titles if offered remains to be seen

I'll say it again, it's a Janet Hughes special. She is fairly well known for them!

No I'm not. You said that was how you knew these secret details. Go on then, explain how you know about this affair then?

A bit of a delay in responding IbrahimaRedTwo but yes, you were incorrectly conflating dinner with royals and the goss about the thing which cannot be mentioned in the English press and now, it appears, even on social media, despite it being common knowledge in the RF circles and widely reported in the European press.

Dinner with these people can be an ordeal for those not interested in horses and racing. The dinner I had was dominated by a rude, graceless member of the RF who showed almost no consideration for anyone else. It's certainly informed my views on how appropriate it is to fawn/ not fawn.

That said, there was no goss forthcoming from that dinner. My goss comes from someone who knows the people in question whose marital strains can't be discussed, apparently. Not in the UK at any rate.

Absurd.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

I'll say it again, it's a Janet Hughes special. She is fairly well known for them!

Who is Janet Hughes?

goodbyestranger: My goss comes from someone who knows the people in question whose marital strains can't be discussed, apparently. Not in the UK at any rate.
.......
Never listen to or pass on gossip. What goes on in people's marriages is their business. As stories are passed around, they become embroidered.

I'd love, however, to know who the unpleasant person was with whom you had the misfortune to have dinner :-), but I won't ask.

[quote Billandben444]@goodbyestranger
(By which I mean the petty mean girl jealousy of Meghan on the basis of being far, far less bright and far, far less attractive).

OK, I'll bite.
We've no idea whether Catherine is jealous of Meghan or not - as her husband will eventually be King I think it's unlikely.
(You're up there in the mean girl stakes)[/quote]
I agree, I can't imagine it at all. Why on earth would Kate be jealous of anyone?

"I agree, I can't imagine it at all. Why on earth would Kate be jealous of anyone?"

Least of all someone who's married to Harry!

Aw, Harry is all right. It wasn't that long ago that he was really popular. He got on well with Kate too.

I just don't see how or why she would be jealous. Kate is beautiful, comfortable, married to the man she loves who loves her, and has gorgeous children. There is no reason on earth why she would be jealous of anybody!

I think other people are jealous of kate, or having difficulty being "chill" with her status. Beatrice and Eugenie apparently hated having to curtsey to her when she was with william,but they must have known he'd get married.

I don't believe that about Beatrice and Eugenie either and doubt having to curtsey to Kate would even arise at the moment. They were always very friendly with their cousins.

Well it would arise if they were together and william was there. That's how it works. That's not a shock to you surely.

Harry is all right. It wasn't that long ago that he was really popular

Yes, but it raises the question of why he was popular, and many have said they feel this was largely because he'd got the palace PR behind him

Now that's gone and we're left with the unedited version, some don't seem to find this one quite as appealing - in fact it makes me wonder just how the rest would appear without all that spin

I thought as they were all HRH they didn't have to curtsy to each other, only the Queen (and I think they did to Philip as a courtesy). It was to do with order of precedence? Who enters first, sits higher at the table etc?

Isn't who you curtsy/bow to to do with where you are in the line of succession?

Any wives take on the "rank" of their husband when they are together?

So for example Kate curtsies to HMQ, Charles & Camilla when with William.

Alone she would curtsy to Anne, Beatrice & Eugenie?

@SelkieIntegrated

Well it would arise if they were together and william was there. That's how it works. That's not a shock to you surely.

I didn't know that but if it is a fact, I doubt Beatrice and Eugenie would resent it or be jealous.

Harry seems OK to me.

@AnyOldPrion

as for William not being King for 25 years - it's highly unlikely as Charles is already 72 and doesn't look as though he'll have the Queen's longevity.

Interested in this. Both his parents have been very healthy and longlived. Why would Charles not have inherited their good genes and (presumably) healthy lifestyle?

He doesn’t look particularly well to me. Very florid complexion, stooped, very swollen hands.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Harry is all right. It wasn't that long ago that he was really popular

Yes, but it raises the question of why he was popular, and many have said they feel this was largely because he'd got the palace PR behind him

Now that's gone and we're left with the unedited version, some don't seem to find this one quite as appealing - in fact it makes me wonder just how the rest would appear without all that spin

Yes, exactly.

@goodbyestranger

Charles travelled with symptoms. www.thetimes.co.uk/article/charles-criticised-for-carrying-coronavirus-to-scottish-retreat-cjrstsxjj

Kate has been kicking off since Megxit because she's uber workshy. Still, you know, you reap what you sow and all that.

How do you know she’s been kicking off? Or that she’s workshy?

@MindyStClaire

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.

Yes this is the situation I think. He will be working till he dies probably, as will kate. He won’t be able to retire and live a quiet life when he’s over 60. I think both of them are quite private people and quite introverted. I suspect they find engagements a strain. W loved the air ambulance service. It’s a shame he had to leave.

This thread is going on forever, based on a regional newspaper article which begins:
"The Prince is said to want to Princess Anne's daughter to step up to help himself and the Duchess of Cambridge in future years"

I wonder if he knows he is supposed to have said anything about that :-).

No source named.

It doesn't affect any of us anyway so what does it matter? They seem to be coping OK as they are at the moment.