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The royal family

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:
HardyBuckette · 29/03/2022 16:31

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.

It could've made things worse, yes, it's quite possible it would've been seen as too little and disrespectful, and we really don't know whether 'many people' would've respected it or not. Another possibility is that it would've fanned the flames, and that nothing short of her presence in London to appease the hysteria would've been accepted.

I mean sure, she could've done it, but beyond that we're all getting into the realms of speculation. Which is why it's better focus on what we do know, which is that the desire to remain at Balmoral with her bereaved grandchildren was a legitimate and sensible one, and unlike some other things she's done actually speaks well of her moral compass.

Yes there was hysteria drummed up by the press but I think there was also genuine anger stemming from the fact that the public could sense that the RF's response to Diana's death was not as wholehearted as it could have been. BP had historically been reluctant to acknowledge Diana's popularity. They initially thought that a private family funeral would be adequate which was ridiculous frankly given the level of public interest. And it was reported that PC had a fight on his hands to acquire a plane to fly he remains home. All these things built on the context of the stripping of the HRH title and her ostracisation when she was alive.

The anger was absolutely genuine, yes. I remember it well. This and the other poor decision making you mention don't affect the point that the queen wanting to remain at Balmoral was the right choice, and that her grandchildren should've been the priority.

derxa · 29/03/2022 16:33

I didn't as it happens as I wasn't watching but I do not doubt she was grief-stricken. Why are you commentating in such an all knowing way then. You don't know how it all unfolded at all

Blossomtoes · 29/03/2022 16:33

@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
The cameras actually seemed to be avoiding him. The very few times he was on camera were all long shots. Now that I’ve seen it I’ve completely changed my mind - it seemed to have been arranged to pay him as little attention as possible.
CathyorClaire · 29/03/2022 16:33

she can have her son supporting her at her husband’s memorial service if she wants

She has two other sons, a daughter, a plethora of adult grandchildren and an army of lackeys any one of whom could have done the job leaving the favourite to scuttle in by the same short route at the last minute.

Ontopofthesunset · 29/03/2022 16:33

I am as republican as they come, and have no respect for Prince Andrew, but honestly who cares? It was his father's memorial service. From a human perspective, why shouldn't his mother choose her only single child to escort her to her seat?

And, moreover, this is the monarchy. They're not some glitzy soap opera cast who are subject to conditions of employment and whom we can sack if we don't like the way they behave. They don't owe us anything. You don't get to pick and choose. Most of the Queen's ancestors were villains, adulterers and warmongers.

ancientgran · 29/03/2022 16:36

@Frangiblepins88

Yeah, I'm opposed to the monarchy myself, but the idea that the queen should've been anywhere other than with her recently bereaved grandchildren somewhere very private at that point is fucking deranged. It speaks well of her that the hysterical amongst the public weren't her priority in that situation and she had to be talked into coming back. Of all the legitimate things to criticise the queen for, it beggars belief that some people choose that.

We all know that situation could have been managed much better if the Queen had acted more promptly and broadcast a filmed public statement from Balmoral acknowledging the loss of Diana. If she had done that, and not waited until much later on, she could have stayed up in Scotland looking after the boys, without any of the public outcry from London. They didn't do this however because their first instinct was to somehow try and play down Diana's death, just as they had stripped her of her HRH title when she was alive. They wanted her to go away quietly in other words - twice! They didn't even initially see the need for a public funeral fhs! So the public outcry, although ill-judged, was not without a context.

The mob were barking mad at the time. Hysteria because the royal flag wasn't at half mast at Buckingham Palace but when explained that it never flies if the monarch isn't there that wasn't enough no it was all an insult to the sainted Diana. If the queen had immediately filmed a public statement it would have been her hogging the limelight or not being upset enough. Nothing would have calmed that mob.

The public outcry and the behaviour towards Harry and William was unforgivable. I just checked and she died on the 31st August and was buried on 6th September according to what I could find. The Queen returned to London prior to the funeral, I don't know when as it wasn't something I followed but if she came back to London 3 or 4 days after the death is that really such a long time? Her videoed speech about Diana aired on the 5th September, is that really "much later" or a reasonable gap for someone who needed to travel back to London while caring for her grieving grandchildren?

Tetherless · 29/03/2022 16:36

@DONTYELL

He could hardly sneak in and stand at the back that would cause more fuss
I don’t see why it would cause more fuss. It would have been more appropriate and wouldn’t have called the queen’s judgment into question.
ancientgran · 29/03/2022 16:37

@CathyorClaire

she can have her son supporting her at her husband’s memorial service if she wants

She has two other sons, a daughter, a plethora of adult grandchildren and an army of lackeys any one of whom could have done the job leaving the favourite to scuttle in by the same short route at the last minute.

Maybe she wanted Harry but he wouldn't come?
HobgoblinGold · 29/03/2022 16:37

Because they genuinely don't give a flying fluck what us plebs think and do as they please. What surprises me is the idea that some people think he's the only one among them that's a pervert?!?

DONTYELL · 29/03/2022 16:37

I don’t see why it would cause more fuss because the media would have made a fuss whatever

MissMarpleRocks · 29/03/2022 16:39

@DONTYELL

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.
I was initially of the view that it wasn’t right he escorted in the Queen. However having rewatched it he’s on tv less than Charles, Anne & Edward so I think it’s right & it’s as low key a way for him to enter.

And for the avoidance of doubt any lawyer that didn’t advise Andrew to settle would not have been doing their job. Unless you are completely certain you are going to be successful, you advise to settle. Settlement is not an admission of guilt just because someone on MN thinks it is.

Frangiblepins88 · 29/03/2022 16:39

@derxa

I didn't as it happens as I wasn't watching but I do not doubt she was grief-stricken. Why are you commentating in such an all knowing way then. You don't know how it all unfolded at all
Derxa Actually, I suddenly became less interested in the event when I saw Prince Andrew escorting the Queen.

Why are you avoiding my main point that having a monarchy involves subjecting individuals, even young children, to public scrutiny in times of grief? If anything is unkind it is that!

thereisonlyoneofme · 29/03/2022 16:39

TinyTortoise I know what it still hasnt been proved he did.

derxa · 29/03/2022 16:40

The cameras actually seemed to be avoiding him. The very few times he was on camera were all long shots. Now that I’ve seen it I’ve completely changed my mind - it seemed to have been arranged to pay him as little attention as possible. That's exactly what happened

thegreylady · 29/03/2022 16:41

Andrew has never been accused of paedophilia. He has bee accused of behaving inappropriately with a young woman in her late teens who waited a hell of a long time to complain. I think he behaved stupidly and wrongly, but he helped his elderly mother to and from her seat at his father’s memorial. I imagine that was her choice entirely and no one’s business but hers.

MrsWinters · 29/03/2022 16:43

It allowed him to go in the side door and not enter in front of the public. The public expected to see Charles, Anne etc arrive via the main entrance.

ancientgran · 29/03/2022 16:43

@LuaDipa

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.

I think that is a personal thing. As I said earlier I was almost exactly the same age as Harry when my father died, my sibling, close to William's age, chose not to attend. I did, I was adamant I wanted to see him before he was buried and that I was going to the funeral. Harry and William might have wanted to be there for their mother, it is the last thing you can do for someone isn't it and unless we know they were forced I don't think we should judge.
wordler · 29/03/2022 16:43

@vastgrandupgrade

Least worst option. It meant he didn’t do the meet and greet and walk down the aisle. They barely showed him and the Queen arriving, he was on screen for seconds.
This.

It was his father's memorial. Even murderers get prison furloughs to go to funerals etc.

This kept him out of the main press coverage of everyone arriving and leaving. The seating kept him out of the main shots covering the Queen when she was seated.

Frangiblepins88 · 29/03/2022 16:44

If you read my posts Ancientgran I am not defending the public behaviour at the time, I was explaining why it happened, and the context in which it happened. And how it could have been averted. I also think a lot of the hysteria was whipped up by the press too. Let's face it, Diana was nothing more than a cash cow to them.

TheLeadbetterLife · 29/03/2022 16:48

This thread is incredible. People will make excuse after excuse after excuse for this family, and the Queen in particular.

It's not dementia, or some cunning ruse to dodge the press. She just doesn't give a fuck about what Andrew did, and being Royal, they can get away with whatever they want.

Patented · 29/03/2022 16:48

The queen makes her own decisions. She's glad he settled the case, not dragging the family through court, so it's a clear sign to the public and the media that it's a conciliation. That's her prerogative

Twizbe · 29/03/2022 16:49

Can we remember as well that he wasn't 'escorting' his mother but he was physically supporting her to walk.

With the best will in the world George couldn't have done that.

Ann could have done it as she had no young children with her and her husband could have walked in with his step children. But then Ann might have wanted her husband's support at her fathers funeral.

Security wise there are very few people who have the correct permissions to actually touch the Queen and be in that close contact with her. Especially if decisions were made quite recently as to how she'd physically get to the service. It had to be a close family member who helped her.

PurpleDaisies · 29/03/2022 16:51

Can we remember as well that he wasn't 'escorting' his mother but he was physically supporting her to walk.

He was not the only person who could have fulfilled that role.

Blossomtoes · 29/03/2022 16:52

This thread is incredible

You’re right. It’s also full of posts by people who quite obviously haven’t seen the TV coverage of the service and have homed onto it as it gives them the perfect opportunity to express their anti monarchist views.

ancientgran · 29/03/2022 16:52

@Frangiblepins88

If you read my posts Ancientgran I am not defending the public behaviour at the time, I was explaining why it happened, and the context in which it happened. And how it could have been averted. I also think a lot of the hysteria was whipped up by the press too. Let's face it, Diana was nothing more than a cash cow to them.
I was pointing out the timeline, if you listen to comments about how long it took her to come back to London or to record a speech you would think it took weeks not less than a week.
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