First visit of royal tour cancelled because of local protest

[Viviennemary]

Just seen on sky news William and Kates visit to a farm in the Caribbean was cancelled becsuse of a local protest. I am with these locals. From their point of view why should those two very entitled unelected multi millionaires who have virtually nothing to do with their country be visiting and expecting to be honoured and bowed and scraped to. They are no better or important than anybody else.

Advocates Network Jamaica has released a statement today. They say William' statement last night was not an apology and the expression of profound sorrow is not acceptable.

@notanotheroneagain

So strange to go after *@Roussette*, a long term poster with arguably the most measured and calm posts on these threads.

Also very one sided and aggressive. I’m not ‘going after’ her either.

There are plenty of more aggressive posters who are very ones sided here. Most against H&M, and very much royalist, yet you have not singled them out.

@AnastasiaRomanov

Do I know you? Obviously not. I see you've only just joined MN. Or NCd to write this to me. Unfortunately, because of this I am unable to comment as to whether you are passive aggressive. You might well be for all I know
Someone had a go at me. (there's history there over years) I defended myself. End of.

@drivinmecrazy

Interesting post. To some extent, I agree with your post. They are representing the Queen and how it's been for 70 years, and I think that's part of the problem and not necessarily their fault.

It will be interesting times when the Queen dies as to what sort of Monarchy we will have. There needs to be drastic change as far as I'm concerned. Time will tell.
It will totally be the end of an era.

Looks like K&W will land their 300 seat private jet to more protests in the Bahamas.

www.independent.co.uk/world/kate-william-bahamas-jamaica-protests-slavery-b2042771.html

I do believe that change will come but let's not kid ourselves it will be a republic or an utopia of equality.
I love this country warts and all and just as it is. MN seems to hate everything about the UK. No one seems to appreciate all we have here in the context of the Ukraine war. I just don't get it.

@derxa

I do believe that change will come but let's not kid ourselves it will be a republic or an utopia of equality. I love this country warts and all and just as it is. MN seems to hate everything about the UK. No one seems to appreciate all we have here in the context of the Ukraine war. I just don't get it.

I was on a cross-channel ferry and the person sitting in front of me turned round and said, "Are you British?" and when I said I was he said "It's nice to see the white cliffs of Dover, isn't it?"

A black man in Calais was on the TV screen, saying over and over, "I love England."

If the current system is changed there will be just as many people groaning on about whatever does or doesn't replace it.

I've said before on a thread that the people who might have done me down in life have been British MPs, not in a personal way but by their decisions, and people who had power over my working life or my health life, far more than any member of the RF.

Well, that was a digression.

Let them have their Republic I'm not sure why we want to hang on to countries in the carribean anyway

@JaniieJones this brings up one of the issues that I find odd about this whole debate. Does anyone really think that the Queen is sitting in Windsor Castle furiously plotting how she can retain power over the various nations still associated with the UK?

Since she has been Queen she has presided over the transition of some 16 former colonies/territories to full independence in accordance with the choice of their people and governments. All those transitions happened peacefully, normally with a ceremony attended by senior Royals to mark the event, and in almost all cases the countries have then voluntarily chosen to join the Commonwealth and maintain ties to the UK.

I am fairly sure that the Queen, and the Royal family all expect, as we all do, that this trend will continue, and over time (perhaps hastened by a change of monarch) the remaining countries that still have the Queen as their head of state will all transition to republics. Certainly she has never given any indication that she has any other other aim other than to act appropriately and in accordance with their wishes as they work their ways to self-determination.

And yes, it is quite striking that we currently have in front of us an example of violent determination to take over a territory that the leader firmly believes should be once more part of their own territory. The contrast is quit marked.

@Serenster

Let them have their Republic I'm not sure why we want to hang on to countries in the carribean anyway

@JaniieJones this brings up one of the issues that I find odd about this whole debate. Does anyone really think that the Queen is sitting in Windsor Castle furiously plotting how she can retain power over the various nations still associated with the UK?

Since she has been Queen she has presided over the transition of some 16 former colonies/territories to full independence in accordance with the choice of their people and governments. All those transitions happened peacefully, normally with a ceremony attended by senior Royals to mark the event, and in almost all cases the countries have then voluntarily chosen to join the Commonwealth and maintain ties to the UK.

I am fairly sure that the Queen, and the Royal family all expect, as we all do, that this trend will continue, and over time (perhaps hastened by a change of monarch) the remaining countries that still have the Queen as their head of state will all transition to republics. Certainly she has never given any indication that she has any other other aim other than to act appropriately and in accordance with their wishes as they work their ways to self-determination.

And yes, it is quite striking that we currently have in front of us an example of violent determination to take over a territory that the leader firmly believes should be once more part of their own territory. The contrast is quit marked.

Spot on

Looks like K&W will land their 300 seat private jet to more protests in the Bahamas

Never mind the protests just for a moment - why are they in a private jet, when last time I looked there was a perfectly good air service between the major islands? And please don't anyone mention a saving of time, because it's not as if they have anything terribly important to do with it, or a heavy schedule which would mean another few days spent there being a problem

I see from another thread that even Edward's been seized with this idea, in his case for an anniversary of an historical figure few have even heard of. With the possible exception of Anne they all seem to be at it, and IMO it's about time it stopped

It’s a Government plane to be used by Government officials and RF . Journalists and the entourage are also on it so it may well work out more cost effective .
Not a private jet as in owned by Elton John ( for example)

Ah, fair enough Chilledchablis - I guess I should have checked, but took "a private jet" to mean what it said (and a goverment-owned one in no way counts as private)

As you no doubt know, the poster's name will indicate the angle and bias of the post, and particularly which ones are in the camp with no regard for truth or reconciliation!

@ Puzzledandpissedoff

Thank you - you are always so measured in your responses 💐
To some it’s semantics but I felt that the term “ private jet” which another poster insists on using was suggesting something like Elton or Simon uses rather than the official mode of transport used for business by the Government etc .

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Ah, fair enough Chilledchablis - I guess I should have checked, but took "a private jet" to mean what it said (and a goverment-owned one in no way counts as private)

Do you somehow think that a private jet - which is smaller, emits more fumes and than a government owned plane?

I was conservative, it was actually worse, they were rattling around in a Boeing type witch is way more gas guzzling and more fumes. (not only are Simon and Elton private jets smaller, they are also carbon offset).

This Boeing had KM and their entourage with a few journalist, so we are talking around 30 people. The reporters get divided into the ones who cover the take off, and ones who cover the arrival. William will then have a handful or reporters on his flight (not always) a BBC, ITV and some of his Fail favourites to inform us what a lovely friendly bloke he is.
The officials of the Bahamas do not go with them from Jamaica, they meet them at the airport.

So no, a boeing (which usually has around 600-800 passengers) is not the same as a commercial flight, if that is what you think.

A black man in Calais was on the TV screen, saying over and over, "I love England."

I am still baffled as to what the race of this man has anything to do with what he said?

@ notanotheroneagain “The Voyager refit cost £10 million and the government estimated the use of the aircraft would save £775,000 a year versus the cost of charter flights; The new arrangement was expected to cost around £2,000 per flying hour as opposed to £6,700 for long-haul charter.[17] The refit included a secure satellite communications system, missile detection, conference facilities, a changing room, 58 business class seats and 100 economy seats.[18][19]”

So?

It's cheaper for that country's use. I presume their figures are based on almost full capacity and frequent use by their own people.

All commercial flight companies could come up with these figures, even best them by demonstrating how much they cost per individual, since commercial will be flying at full capacity anyway.

If the government plane was arranged by the hosts as the best way for the entourage to make the journeys, then what locus does the British public have in telling the various Commonwealth governments they're doing it all wrong?

How come we know better than they do?

Or is it misplaced assumptions on who would have decided that bit?

I was conservative, it was actually worse, they were rattling around in a Boeing type witch is way more gas guzzling and more fumes

Sorry but you are talking nonsense here. “A Boeing type” makes no sense. Boeing make many different types and sizes of aircraft. Are you trying f to say it’s a 747 like Airforce1? The plane is in fact an RAF Airbus that is used by the royal family and the government, but is also able to be used by the RAF for air to air refuelling and personnel transport.

www.raf.mod.uk/news/articles/vip-raf-voyager-ready-for-global-role/

@Chilledchablis1 cross post (sort of) 🤣

What are you talking about @smilesy,
Here are the stats of the RAF jet, and you will see they are the same as most Boeings, in particular close to the 747. The only difference is that the luxurious fitting, have been customised to carry less passengers - at 291

www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/voyager/

You don't even need to know the stats, you can see looking at the beast that it's gas guzzling and emissions.

This Boeing had KM and their entourage with a few journalist, so we are talking around 30 people. The reporters get divided into the ones who cover the take off, and ones who cover the arrival

Actually the whole entourage travels on the one plane - the personal staff, FO representatives, security, journalists and photographers.

When they arrive, the journalists/photographers come off first and head over to the designated press area to then be in place when the couple leave the plane for the formal welcome. They do this in reverse when leaving somewhere - the royal couple board the plane first, then the press board and the plane departs. There’s more than 50 people in the press corps alone (watch the livestream of the arrival in Belize if you don’t believe me).

It's not the whole entourage, many photographers and RRs have already stated this in various podcasts. In particular I remember Chris Ship on several of his, has stated this as he was explaining how he was tired as they had to run around trying to keep up with the schedule of the RF plane.