The queen spent a night in hospital this week,

[MrsLargeEmbodied]

stoic lady

[BrilloPaddy]

I can't understand how William and Catherine get away with doing so very little.

They only seem to leave KP if a red carpet is involved these days.

[Roussette]

I agree. I read somewhere (and happy to be corrected) that the Queen does more engagements than W&K put together.
If that is the case, it's shocking.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I can't understand how William and Catherine get away with doing so very little

Well, that one's simple; it seems pretty obvious that W&K can have absolutely anything they want, just so long as they avoid rocking the boat any further

[smilesy]

I agree. I read somewhere (and happy to be corrected) that the Queen does more engagements than W&K put together.
If that is the case, it's shocking

She is the Queen so it’s likely that she does more engagements than anyone else. Or at least, she has until now. She has three children who are carrying out engagements. William is second in line to the throne after his father so in some ways is less senior. As it has been said elsewhere, maybe the Queen wants to allow him family time as being King will be a job for life. There are probably some engagements where it is expected that it will be the actual monarch who carries them out and no one else will do. She is the boss and I’m sure she feels it is her duty to carry out as many engagements as she can. It would appear that she is however, now going to hand over more of her engagements so we shall see.

Don’t know why bold isn’t working btw 🤷‍♀️

[Roussette]

I don't agree to be honest. It's abuse of an elder to be sending her out doing all this stuff (and before you say it, I know she may want to) ... a 95 year old woman versus two fit functioning late 30s adults.
She should've been handing over more years ago, in fact she should've abdicated I think (and I know all the arguments about how she took a vow, and her religious beliefs forbids it etc) but I think the RF would be better off now if there'd been some forward thinking.

It is very wrong to me, that two members of the RF, one of whom is an heir, doesn't do more. Yet a 95 year old woman is cutting back now, probably through exhaustion.

[Billlius]

I don’t think The Queen agrees with you Rousette

[Roussette]

Lol not everyone does

[smilesy]

I don’t think she wanted to cut back. It would be unthinkable to her as she sees it as her duty to be Queen for life. Why would you presume to tell her what to do? David Attenborough is practically the same age as she is and I don’t hear anyone telling him to retire. She feels she is capable so why should anyone presume to tell her she isn’t? Obviously now things are becoming more difficult, she will have to hand over some of her duties. That may even work in the monarchy’s favour as people will have chance to get used to other members of the family taking on duties whilst the Queen is still around. A sort of staged handover, maybe. It would be far more abrupt if she abdicated (or passed away)

[smilesy]

Queen advised to rest for two more weeks www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59097106

It seems she is still not right, bless her.

[EdithWeston]

The latest news strikes me as somewhat concerning.

I hope that, if there is a need to explain further what is wrong, because it is apprpriate for the public to know certain aspects of the health of the head of state, it is done at a time and in a manner of her choosing.

Not by a fucking red top wanting a scoop

[eddiemairswife]

It is to be expected that an elderly woman would experience various health issues and even die in the near future. When her father died it was an utter shock to the nation.

[Roussette]

I don’t think she wanted to cut back. It would be unthinkable to her as she sees it as her duty to be Queen for life. Why would you presume to tell her what to do?

Lol... how am I telling her what to do? It's what I think. End of.

I think the RF would be in a better place if she'd handed over more sooner.

Just an opinion on a forum. No telling.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Interesting that the new, 14 day rest period takes us beyond Remembrance Day

I realise Buck House have said she's "every intention of being at the Cenotaph", but as I said to a pal last night, if she's not able to make it to that it seems to be over

[JayAlfredPrufrock]

It’s not looking good is it?

[smilesy]

Ok Rousette. Maybe I didn’t express myself very well. When I said you, I meant you as in anyone. Not you particularly. Sorry for not being clear. (But I do think she knows her own mind so I can’t see how elder abuse comes in to it 🤷‍♀️)

[Roussette]

No worries 🙂

I still think there ought to have been an 'encouraging' away from a huge workload when there's able bodied younger members of the RF to pick up.
I think it would've helped enormously and fill the chasm that's so obviously going to be left when she dies.
And it would've helped the RF so much in this transition
But what do I know 😂

[SickAndTiredAgain]

@Roussette

No worries 🙂

I still think there ought to have been an 'encouraging' away from a huge workload when there's able bodied younger members of the RF to pick up.
I think it would've helped enormously and fill the chasm that's so obviously going to be left when she dies.
And it would've helped the RF so much in this transition
But what do I know 😂

I agree with you (although I think abuse is a bit strong!), but we don’t know those conversations haven’t been had, and she’s just told them to bugger off.
That’s not to say I don’t think W&K could do more, just that there’s no real reason to think none of her children or grandchildren care enough to have tried to talk her into doing less if they thought it was necessary.

[julieca]

Yes that is concerning.
And yes of course William and Catherine are workshy when together they do less than their 95-year-old grandmother.

[MagpieMary]

@julieca

Yes that is concerning.
And yes of course William and Catherine are workshy when together they do less than their 95-year-old grandmother.

How do you know?You dont know what they do behind the scenes.

[MagpieMary]

@eddiemairswife

It is to be expected that an elderly woman would experience various health issues and even die in the near future. When her father died it was an utter shock to the nation.

It wasn’t really. He had been ill for some time.

[eddiemairswife]

It wasn't generally known that he was seriously ill. We were told that he had had a lung re-section, but most of us didn't know what that meant, no Google then. When we were called to the hall for an emergency assembly our main worry was a war; the King's death was a relief.

[GinghamChicken]

Looking at the way the Queen has been walking / standing in the last few appearances she reminds me of my Gran just before she had a hip replacement.

The signs are familiar: needing a stick 'for comfort'; no longer riding (sitting legs akimbo when you have an arthritic hip is agony); being told to rest - again, with an arthritic hip, standing around can cause severe pain which can come on unexpectedly and be completely debilitating.

My personal feeling is that, yet again, rumours are being stoked by the press and she is in fact suffering from arthritis, a condition often associated with old age but which can be remedied - hence preliminary investigations in hospital.

For what it's worth, that's my two pennorth.

[julieca]

@MagpieMary they tell us what they do and TBH make a big deal of not much work. Like catherines 6 year project of an early years survey that turned out to be 6 questions and not at all revolutionary.

[buffyajp]

@julieca

Yes that is concerning.
And yes of course William and Catherine are workshy when together they do less than their 95-year-old grandmother.

Absolute nonsense. I see this has turned into a William and Catherine bashing thread. Yet if it was Harry and Megan being criticised then the same posters would be up in arms. William and Catherine have carried out lots of engagements over the past months that haven’t involved red carpets. If you can’t find them then I suggest your not looking hard enough.

[julieca]

@buffyajp I look at the court circular regularly. I see what they do. Anne and the Queen do a lot.