No 2

[Exasperatednow]

The main thing that the royal family needs to learn is how to properly parent and to ensure that each no 2 child has a purpose.... Harry, Andrew, Margaret...

Princess Anne seems to have managed quite well.

Princess Anne did not have a heir.

Wut?

Edward is fine.

Anne is ok.

Princes Anne was No2.

The issue is heirs and spares.

William and Harry

The Queen and Margaret

Charles and Andrew

No, maybe I want clear. The child who is second in line to the throne. That's why I didn't mention Anne or Edward and why I did mention, Harry, Andrew and Margaret.

Yep. And Edward. I’m not sure it’s an upbringing so much as a personality issue. Being the monarch’s sibling is pretty obviously a very prominent role in which you can achieve plenty if you want to.

@SnowAndIceLobelia Anne is a woman she was never going to be Queen.

In age, but as soon as Andrew was born she wasn’t the so-called spare though.

George VI was the second son so it’s not always the second that’s the issue

Oh right. I was being literal.

Edward struggled when younger, lots of scandals. Only as he got older did he disappear into the background.

I don’t think it makes any difference if you are no.2 or 3 three though these days. It’s not like the eldest one is likely to be assassinated so they are all broadly spares.

Even Andrew hasn't been such an arse to his own family.

He's an utterly disgusting human being in other ways but this is irrespective of his ranking in the line of succession.

Queen's father was the spare as well wasn't he? Didn't do badly there!

Personally I think Sophie is pretty marvellous and has helped make Edward into a sensible steady sort. This thought is based entirely on a personal general sense of vague approval for Sophie having got her act together after some mis steps in the early days!

I think Sophie's relationship with the family, in particular the queen and DoE shows that they're not the horror show that some make them out to be. She slipped up and they moved on. She appeared to have a really good relationship with them.

I know Anne turned out ok but there's more that have struggled Margaret, Andrew and Harry and I would say Edward as he threw some tantrums in the past. Before that there wasn't the media like there is now and I really blame them. It's all very well for us to judge from our keyboards but that kind of scrutiny would really screw me up and I bet it would affect some some of you who really judge Harry.

I am glad you understood what I wrote. I am exceptionally tired today and seem to have too many words in my sentence(s)!

Oh the scrutiny would send me loopy. Nowhere to hide or run when you make stupid mistakes.

I am worried about Harry though. I think he is very seriously unwell.

@SnowAndIceLobelia I agree with you completely on Sophie! I think she's been a great asset to them. It was evident when the queen and Philip died how close she'd been to them.