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The royal family
Original poster

Who advised the Queen to walk into the Abbey escorted by Andrew??

996 replies

TinyTortoise · 29/03/2022 13:07

This seems to be the most tone deaf and damaging decision. It's a public facing event with international leaders and royals. If it was a closed family gathering I could understand it - he is her son still- but why on earth would they allow him to escort her to her seat?! He should be invisible from now on and never represent the RF again. He could have attended and stood somewhere out of the way. She could have chosen anyone to escort her. It's staggeringly awful!

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 29/03/2022 16:17

Well, I didn't, because, surely, no one has more right than a son to be at his father's memoral?
I’ve never said he shouldn’t be there. It was a prominent role walking the queen in, especially since there’s been so much speculation about whether or not she’d been there. It was a provocative choice for him to do that when he could have entered and exited quietly.

CaroleFuckingBaskin · 29/03/2022 16:18

Should he be allowed to attend his mother's funeral?

Wnkingawalrus · 29/03/2022 16:18

He is NOT an appropriate representative for this country. This was not just an old lady's private memorial for her husband, it was a public facing event.

All the more reason why it should be her decision who she has supporting her. Whatever helped to get her through what must have a been a very difficult day.

And he wasn’t representing the country.

Skiptheheartsandflowers · 29/03/2022 16:18

@HardyBuckette

She could have protected the boys more effectively by putting herself in the line of sight, as it were, and speaking earlier to say that Diana would be be honoured but that they would be shielding her sons as they grieved.

It's quite optimistic to think this would've been sufficient to stop the demands for her to leave them and return to London.

It could hardly have made that worse though, could it? The silence was a major issue. Many more people would have respected her effort to step in even if it didn't convince everyone.
Lesserspottedmama · 29/03/2022 16:19

It’s not tone deaf, it’s just that they do what they like and are much more unbothered by what us plebs think than you might imagine.

CathyorClaire · 29/03/2022 16:20

does she not know or care about public opinion regarding her son?

I don't think she cares.

She does after all have form for waving two fingers at the plebs when it comes to silent shows of support for him.

derxa · 29/03/2022 16:20

Harsh though it sounds, you can't apply private sentiment to public occasions. Did you see the Queen's grief stricken face?

gonetogroundnow · 29/03/2022 16:21

@CaroleFuckingBaskin she's not dead yet... 👀

GirlsTalk250 · 29/03/2022 16:21

She’s 95, she can have her son supporting her at her husband’s memorial service if she wants.

I can’t believe the nastiness and lack of compassion on here sometimes!

Pyewhacket · 29/03/2022 16:22

It's her choice and it is his father, so wind your neck in.

Whingasaurus · 29/03/2022 16:22

Just nasty of you to have a pop for this

StupidUsernameUnavailable · 29/03/2022 16:23

It was the only way to have him attend in the least official capacity for the shortest possible time. Less on camera than anyone else in his family. He will be at the Queen’s funeral, just to warn everyone outraged by a man (convicted of no crime at all) attending his father’s memorial and assisting his nonagenarian mother.

Agreed.

On a different note, I might start an over used phrase that you hate thread, because "tone deaf" and "optics" are quickly becoming the new "educate yourself" and "you got this".

LuaDipa · 29/03/2022 16:25

That would have been when she was at Balmoral, with Princess Diana's children? So supporting them? How uncaring of her to think this was more important than supporting hysterical people in London who were not part of Diana's immediate family.

I agree with that, those boys should have been kept well out of it. That being said, what on earth then prompted them to roll out the still devastated and heartbroken children to traipse through London behind their mother’s coffin for the benefit of the world’s media? With mixed messages like that it’s no wonder poor Prince Harry has issues.

Nanny0gg · 29/03/2022 16:25

@PurpleDaisies

The best thing he could have done for his mother is to have a prior engagement that day.
For his father's memorial service?

Not likely

Nanny0gg · 29/03/2022 16:25

@GirlsTalk250

She’s 95, she can have her son supporting her at her husband’s memorial service if she wants.

I can’t believe the nastiness and lack of compassion on here sometimes!

Quite
derxa · 29/03/2022 16:26

I think I need a wee rest from MN. The lack of compassion for an elderly woman's grief is terrible. She almost couldn't attend the service due to ill health and the decision to go was only made this morning. I doubt her mind was focussed on 'optics' and PR

Nanny0gg · 29/03/2022 16:27

@Samcro

i wonder who advises them. another home goal after the dreadful tour.
The Queen is fully capable of making up her own mind.

It was the memorial to her husband after the very restricted funeral.

Of course she would have Andrew there. He went to his father's memorial. Not Remembrance Sunday.

Tetherless · 29/03/2022 16:27

All the people saying it was his father, he had every right to be there - yes, he did, but he could have just sat at the back.

The Queen chose to give him a very prominent role. And that was a choice lacking in judgment IMO. She didn’t have to lean on him and he didn’t have to agree to it.

DONTYELL · 29/03/2022 16:28

It meant he was around for the shortest amount if time. The others had partners. He then went and sat separately leaving the Queen with Charles and Anne and their partners.

Frangiblepins88 · 29/03/2022 16:29

@derxa

Harsh though it sounds, you can't apply private sentiment to public occasions. Did you see the Queen's grief stricken face?
I didn't as it happens as I wasn't watching but I do not doubt she was grief-stricken. I know it sounds harsh but that is how a hereditary monarchy works. Private events are public events too. I am a republican and it can be argued that republicanism is a much kinder system as it does not involve constantly subjecting a family, sometimes very young children, to public scrutiny in times of emotional distress. So please don't imply that us republicans are lacking in feeling!
DONTYELL · 29/03/2022 16:29

He could hardly sneak in and stand at the back that would cause more fuss

toomuchlaundry · 29/03/2022 16:29

I bet if he had been sitting at the back the cameras will still have found him and focussed in on him. Unfortunately, whether he was there or not today people would have been talking about him

Nanny0gg · 29/03/2022 16:29

Was he representing the RF today? Are there plans for him to represent the RF in the future? I didn't think so, but perhaps I'm wrong.

No. And No. And you're not.

ajandjjmum · 29/03/2022 16:31

@lovescats3

There are more important things going on yes like food banks, cost of living crisis etc so start giving the needy the money given to the royal family
Don't think the cost of living crisis is going to be averted by us all donating £1.50 a year!
DONTYELL · 29/03/2022 16:31

@toomuchlaundry

I bet if he had been sitting at the back the cameras will still have found him and focussed in on him. Unfortunately, whether he was there or not today people would have been talking about him
Exactly much better to just get on with it